Minnesota Consumer Protection Attorney

Debt Collectors and Consumer Protection

In 1978, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) was added to the Consumer Credit Protection Act. The purpose of the FDCPA is to ensure fair debt collection, which means eliminating abusive practices and allowing consumers the right to collect information regarding their debt in order to validate it. When a person's rights under the Act are violated, avenues have been made available to hold the debt collector responsible for their actions. In order to avoid penalties for violations, debt collectors are provided with a comprehensive set of guidelines under the Act which defines consumer rights, the rights of the debt collector and what penalties the debt collector will have to pay when they are in violation.

The FDCPA states that the following practices are illegal for debt collectors to engage in:

Calling repeatedly whether you answer the call or not
Threatening violence
Not identifying who they are when they call
Calling before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM
Disclosing debt information to individuals other than you
Using profanity or racial slurs
Contacting you after you have exercised the right to notify them in writing that you don't want to be contacted
Misrepresenting the debt in any way (such as legal status)
Threatening arrest and jail time for not paying the debt
Using deceptive methods to collect the money from you
Claiming to be affiliated with an organization that they are not affiliated with
Threatening wage garnishment or legal action when such action is not going to take place
Threatening to report false information to credit bureaus

If a debt collector commits any of the violations listed above, a Minnesota consumer protection lawyer from Heimerl & Lammers can pursue legal action against them. This means that the debt collector may have to pay you $1,000 plus court costs and attorney fees that result from a lawsuit.

Putting an End to Harassment

Our firm's attorneys have many years of combined experience fighting for the rights of our clients and defending them against violations of the FDCPA. We have a proven record of success in this field and urge you to act quickly so that the harassing phone calls and threats are put to an end at once.

As for our fee, we work on a contingent basis. This means that you do not pay us unless we win and compensation is collected for you.

Contact a Minnesota consumer protection attorney to discover what can be done to protect your rights as a consumer and put an end to violations of fair practice laws.