Tips For Fighting Off A Pesky Debt Collector

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Have you gotten yourself into debt? If so, there is a pretty good chance that an agent has called your home and they may have even showed up at your door. Unfortunately, debt collectors will do everything humanly possible to get the money that they’re owed. Nevertheless, the consumer is not in a hopeless battle. There are ways to fight back and defend yourself from a pesky debt collector. Within this guide, you will find tips for managing your personal finances and keep that debt collector at bay.

Make Small Payments

Some debts are bogus. Perhaps someone stole and used your identity to take out a loan? If this is the case, you should fight the charges tooth and nail. However, there is a good chance that you’ve simply made a mistake in your past. If so, you should accept the responsibility and try to pay off the debt within a reasonable period of time. Speak with the collector and set up a payment plan that suit your budgetary needs. Paying even ten or twenty dollars a month will help.

By showing that you’re willing to right your past wrongs, the debt collector will most likely leave you alone.

Ask For Proof

Before agreeing to pay the debt, you should go ahead and speak with the collector. Make sure that the collection agency actually has a legal right to collect the debt. Ask for proof. Under the FDCPA, you have the right to seek validation. Under these rules, the collection agency will be required to provide you with a debt validation notice within a period of five days. If you’re lucky, there is a possibility that the agency was wrong and the debt has already been paid. Nevertheless, the validation process will buy you a little extra time.

Confirm Licensure

Some schemers pretend to be debt collectors in hopes of stealing your money and your identity. With that being said, you need to go above and beyond to protect yourself when dealing with these individuals. While waiting for the debt validation, you should go ahead and check the individual’s license. Is the CA actually licensed in the state? Just remember that some states do not require a license. Check their credentials to ensure that your information is safe and that you’re actually working with a reputable company.

Consider Suing

If your name has ended up in collections and the collector will not leave you alone, you should take action immediately. Remember that you are protected by certain laws. The debt collector cannot legally harass you in order to get their money back. When the collector oversteps their bounds, you should go ahead and send them a letter. Let them know that they’re violating the law. If this doesn’t work, you may need to take things one step further. Get in touch with a lawyer and consider filing a lawsuit against the agency. By doing so, you will be able to prove that you’re serious and this may help to push the company back to some degree.