People experiencing money problems are inherently vulnerable to collector harassment. For this reason, the government has been regulating what debt collectors can and cannot do for over 50 years. To help you recognize if your rights are being violated, here are some important collection behaviors to keep in mind: “Harassment” includes: calling before 8 AM […]
These types of phone calls are not allowed. So how do you stop them? The rules for creditors are different from those for telemarketers, but neither one is allowed to call you late at night. Separate sets of laws forbid solicitors and debt collectors from calling before 8 AM and after 9 PM. Unless you […]
More than half a million families file for bankruptcy each year due to medical debt. In fact, it’s the most common reason, with 66% of debtors citing medical debt as a major factor in their financial downfall. (The other two most common reasons are unaffordable mortgage/foreclosure, 45%, and overspending, 44%.) Sadly, the Affordable Care Act […]
Yes, sort of. Signing up for the FTC’s National Do-Not-Call Registry will dissuade some unwanted telemarketing calls, but there are a couple of catches. One, categories like political robocalls and charities are protected from the Do-Not-Call list, so they are still allowed. Two, the list is “national” and enforcement outside our country’s boundaries is limited. […]
