The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota has Advice for Consumers Dealing with Debt Collectors

In a recent publication, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Minnesota reminded consumers that they have rights when dealing with debt collectors. Regulated by a federal statute called the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), there are certain things that debt collectors can and cannot do. Minnesota consumers should also remember that debt collection agencies frequently make mistakes. Or, in cases of identity theft, debt collectors sometimes pursue the wrong individuals. Therefore, if a debt collection agent calls, don’t immediately assume the worst. Get all of the information you can before assuming the debt in question is yours. On the other hand, even if you owe money, remember that no debt collector has the right to use abusive tactics with you.

What Minnesota Consumers Should Do When Debt Collectors Call

First and foremost, Minnesota residents should never ignore debt collectors, hoping they will go away. Consumers should also never pay debt collectors just to make them go away. Instead, start asking questions without giving away too much of your own information.

Always verify the legitimacy of the debt collection agency before proceeding. Too often, scammers impersonate debt collectors in order to steal money from unsuspecting Minnesotans. So, get the agent’s name, the name of the debt collection firm, and look them up online. In Minnesota, all debt collectors must obtain a license from the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Therefore, you can visit this organization’s website to verify a debt collector’s legitimacy.

Next, request a validation letter. Under the FDCPA, the debt collector cannot deny your request. In fact, regardless of whether you ask or not, they must send you a written notification within five days of calling you about a debt. Even if the debt does belong to you, there is always the chance that it has expired and is no longer collectible. No Minnesota consumer should ever pay anything toward a debt until they find out whether or not it is too old to collect. This is because paying anything toward an expired debt re-ages the debt and makes it valid once again.

Finally, if a debt collector sends proof that the debt belongs to you, but you know that it does not, you may be the victim of identity theft. In this case, request copies of your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus. Then, look for unauthorized, unpaid accounts set up in your name.

How Minnesota Consumers Should Handle Abusive Debt Collectors

Unfortunately, a lot of Minnesota consumers who legitimately owe money on past-due debts think that they have no rights against abusive debt collectors. This, however, is simply not the case. According to the FDCPA, debt collection agents may not use abusive or harassing tactics. For example, debt collectors may not call Minnesota residents at all hours of the night and morning. They are also prohibited from using abusive language or threatening consumers with actions they cannot legally take. In addition, the FDCPA does not allow debt collectors to discuss debts with third parties.

These are just a few of the most common FDCPA violations. If a debt collector takes any of these actions against you, or makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, you can make them stop. But you don’t have to do it on your own. Instead, call Credit Repair Lawyers of America in Minnesota. When you contact our firm, an experienced FDCPA attorney will stand up for your rights against the abusive debt collector and end the harassment. We may even collect damages for you if we bring a successful action against an FDCPA violating debt collection agency.

The Free and Legal way to End Debt Collector Harassment in Minnesota

At Credit Repair Lawyers of America, we’ve had years of experience when it comes to stopping debt collector harassment. We’ve also been cleaning up credit reports for consumers since 2008 for free. How do we do it? All of our fees come from the defendants in settled cases. This is why our clients pay nothing for the work we do.

Let’s start the conversation about what we can do for your credit. Set up your free consultation today by calling Attorney Gary Nitzkin at (612) 235-4458 or sending him a message through our contact page.

For more information about Ending Debt Collector Harassment for FREE, please visit https://creditrepairlawyersam.com/minnesota/debt-collection-harassment/.