Creditor harassment has increased significantly in spite of the Fair Act of debt collection practices. Some creditors could care less what the law says. Want to collect debts by any means necessary, and the media choice are often harassing phone calls at home or at work. This is one of the many reasons why you should avoid debt in the future, but for now this is what can be done to stop creditor harassment.
Document every interaction
The first step to stop creditor harassment is to document every interaction with the creditors. Write what says the creditor to you during phone calls and your answer. You can record the phone conversation as well, but you must tell them that you are doing so. Say "I'm making this call to protect my rights, you want to continue?" to give them sufficient warning and protect yourself from being accused of illegal wiretaps.
Contact an attorney for assistance
You may be able to bypass the creditor harassment at home, but it can be difficult when you're at work. Collaborators and your employer at the end will notice, and may have a negative effect on your work performance and even your job status. Contact an attorney to file a complaint could get the attention of the creditor and his lawyer may file motions to get a temporary order to prevent calls at work. Your attorney can also contact the creditor and teach them that all calls must legally be directed to him. Find an attorney who knows how to deal with these types of creditors. If you try to get a referral to a lawyer, but you can also contact the local bar association for referrals.
Send a certified letter to the creditor
You or your lawyer must send a certified letter with "return receipt requested" to the creditor. In the letter, ask the creditor to cease and desist from the call at home or at work. Mention the Fair debt collection practice Act, because this is the law which may be applied towards the creditor, if they continue to harass you after having sent the letter. Keep a copy of the letter, as well as the signed receipt for your records. You'll need it as proof if you decide to initiate a lawsuit.
Negotiating with the creditor if opportunities
There might be an opportunity to talk about reasonably with the creditor. If the creditor harassment are mild, look for those opportunities in phone calls. See if the creditor would be open to discussions on a debt repayment plan, or even a full payment of the debt at a future date. It is important to remain calm in order to exploit these opportunities. Ask them if they have any suggestions for a resolution and a willingness to explore the options proposals.
Living with creditor harassment is stressful and can impact the peace of mind. Do what you can stop it, it means also hire a lawyer to help.
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