Whenever you look into debt settlement resources, you will find a wide variety of articles and information that can be used to your advantage. One such collection of information is a database of illegal actions for debt collectors. By reading some of these illegal actions, you can familiarize yourself with actions not permissible for debt collectors. For example, if a collector knows that an attorney represents you, and they have the contact information readily available yet they continue to contact you, then you know the collector is breaking the law.
If a collector informs anyone but yourself or your attorney that you owe money, then they are committing a crime. If you are under the age of eighteen and considered a minor, then they are allowed to contact your parents or guardians about the debt. However, it is legal for a debt collector to speak with other people in order to gather your contact information. They may not misrepresent the amount, legal status, or character of a debt.
It is not legal for a collector to provide false information about you to others, nor is it legal for them to fail to honor your dispute or cease communication rights. A debt collector cannot threaten to take your property or garnish your wages when this action is not considered to be legal or when the collector actually does not plan to do it. The only possible way for a collector to take this course of action is to receive a court order.
A collector may also not use or threaten to use any type of violence or any other illegal means to harm you, your reputation, your property, or your family. Debt settlement resources contain many more illegal actions. If you witness a debt collector breaking the rules placed to prevent abuse, then be sure to contact your state district attorney.