Advie on help with bills in collections - The Bills.com Blog
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Advie on help with bills in collections
Question: What is the best option if the bills have already gone into collections?
Answer: There are definite rules and regulations regarding the handling of collection accounts by creditors and by the collection agencies themselves. The Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act guarantees you specific rights as a consumer when a personal debt has been turned over to a debt collector. These include:
- The right to stop them from contactingyou except to notify you of specific actions being taken by writing them a letter requesting this.
- The right to receive a full written notice explaining the amount you owe, to whom you owe it, and what action you should take if you believe you do not owe the money.
- The right to sue in state or federal court if you believe that the debt collector has violated the law in its handling of your account (within one year from the date that you believe the violation occurred).
- If you have had an ongoing problem with a collection agency, you should probably contact the agency one more time to request a specific,
written statement of their proof that you still owe on the debt. Insist that they also include instructions for disputing their statement if you do not believe you still owe the money, as the law requires.
You might also consider reporting the collection agency to your state Attorney General's office and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Many states have their own debt collection laws in addition to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and your Attorney General's office can help you understand your specific rights.
For more information about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, visit the FTC's web page summarizing
the law at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.htm.
If you are struggling to pay your debts, you may want to consult with a professional debt resolution firm to discuss the options available to you. If you want a free debt consultation with one of Bill's approved debt help partners, click here: https://www.bills.com/debthelp/debt/.
I hope the information provided helps you Find. Learn. Save!
Best,
Bill
www.bills.com
Also, make sure to get a free financial health check-up with Bills IQ!
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1. Posted by Carlo Carnevali on Tuesday 11th December 2007 16:05
A collection agency contacted me (via my brother who lives in another state), telling me that I owe $ 52.21 for a telephone bill who was unpaid since 1997. Now, that's more than ten years ago. I don't remember at all this bill and when I asked the person of the collection agency to send me some kind of paper work she insisted that I don't need it and suggested that I pay the bill immediately. Is there a statue of limitation by which their request is invalid since "they" never contacted me during these past 10 years and a half? Obviously is a matter of principle, but I would like to know how to proceed in this matter. Please advice. Thank you so much. Carlo Carnevali
2. Posted by nithinj on Tuesday 11th December 2007 17:41
You should definitely insist on paperwork. You should also obtain a copy of your credit report to see what other items may be effecting your credit. You can get a free copy of your credit report by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com All states have a body of statutes in their codes of law called, “Limitations of Actions,” commonly referred to as the statutes of limitations. The length of time a creditor has to sue you depends on your state of residence and the type of debt. Check out http://www.bcsalliance.com/y_debt_sol.html This site has more information about statutes of limitations and a list of limitations by state.