Attorney General Bill Schuette has recently released the annual Top Ten Michigan Consumer Complaints for 2016. Once again, credit and financial concerns dominate the list with a total of 12,217 complaints received in this category. Within this category, it appears that Michigan consumers are most concerned about debt collection and credit reporting, having filed 641 complaints about these issues.
So, if you’re having trouble with unfair credit reporting and aggressive debt collectors, you’re definitely not alone.
Laws that Protect Michiganders against Unfair Credit Reporting
The federally mandated Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulates information contained in consumer credit reports. According to FCRA laws, this information must be accurate and current, and consumers have a right to know what is on their credit reports. Under the FCRA, credit bureaus are also obligated to remove inaccurate information from reports if a consumer disputes these items in writing.
However, studies have shown that about 80% of credit reports contain some type of mistake or even multiple errors. More often than not, this false information is taking its toll on consumer credit ratings. Think about it. Your credit score may be lower than it should be because of errors on your credit reports. Having a low credit score can result in having to pay higher interest rates, being charged higher auto insurance premiums, and getting turned down for new credit. And if you actually don’t deserve any of these things, it is really and truly unfair.
No wonder Michiganders are so upset.
Why You don’t have to be the Victim of Debt Collector Harassment
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) puts restrictions on what debt collectors can and cannot do. For example, debt collectors are not allowed to call you at unreasonable hours, use threatening language or do anything that is intended to embarrass you. They also have to STOP calling you if you send them a written notice to do so.
Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous debt collectors who bank on the fact that many consumers don’t know their rights. They call, and they call, and they call at all hours. They might even contact members of your family, threaten to have you arrested, or try to get money from you that you don’t actually owe. Sadly, these types of violations are routinely committed in the State of Michigan, and that’s why there are so many debt collection complaints here, year after year.
Fighting Back against Unfair Credit Reporting and Debt Collector Harassment
There’s an easy way to get errors removed from your credit reports and get back the credit rating you deserve: Get a Free Credit Repair lawyer. At Credit Lawyers of America, we’ve been helping consumers since 2008 at no charge to them. We can remove errors and mistakes from your credit report legally. Or, if you’re being harassed by a debt collector who’s breaking the rules, we can make them stop immediately. You may even be entitled to a settlement.
Set up your free consultation today by calling Attorney Gary Nitzkin at (248) 353-2882 or emailing him at [email protected].
