Most people who fall behind on their bills and get into debt don’t do it as a malicious act against the creditor. They do it because they lost the income from a job and can’t keep up. They do it because of unforeseen emergencies that leave them with debt that is nearly impossible to pay. They might even do it because they were given too much credit or too big a mortgage for their house. So why are creditors and debt collection agencies allowed to call constantly and even get nasty with debtors?
The truth is, they aren’t. But that doesn’t stop many of them from using harassing tactics like fear and intimidation to get debtors to pay. Consider these cases for example.
One man had a balance of just $81 on his credit card when the debt collection agency started calling. In messages to the man, who is African-American, the agents started using racial slurs and telling the man to go pick cotton in the fields.
One family received 700 calls and letters from the bank making false claims, even after they had asked the agency to stop. The couple filed a lawsuit and were awarded $1,051,000 in addition to attorney fees and court costs.
Their story isn’t unique. Other people across the country have complained about calls from the same bank, including over 2,000 calls to one couple in the state of California. In fact, the bank in question paid out $32 million to more than seven and a half million customers who were affected by these types of calls.
The Law Offices of Patrick L. Cordero, PA are equipped to help you get relief from these harassers. See our Debt Collections page for more info.