For many people with heavy debt, a major stress in life is creditor harassment. Through phone calls, letters and even interrupting people at work, creditors are often aggressive, sometimes to the point of illegality.
In Mississippi, state laws are somewhat lax in terms of protecting consumers from creditor harassment, but the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which we’ve discussed often in previous posts, places important restrictions on creditor actions.
You don’t have to file for bankruptcy to be protected under the FDCPA. However, it is a good idea to have a bankruptcy attorney notify your creditors that you want them to stop communicating with you. Once you retain the services of an attorney, the FDCPA provides that phone calls, letters and other forms of communication from creditors must stop.
Many people fall into heavy debt for reasons beyond their control. Medical emergencies, job loss, divorce — these are all common issues that lead to bankruptcy, especially if they occur in combination. Creditors, however, generally don’t care why a person has acquired debt, nor is there much incentive in the debt collection industry to verify that a record of debt is even accurate. With that said, consumers need a legal advocate to protect their rights and stop creditor harassment.
At The Rollins Law Firm, we understand the stress that comes with heavy debt. We are a debt relief agency that helps people find the right solution for their particular situation. To learn more about our areas of practice, please visit our bankruptcy overview.
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