Back in 1977 the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act was passed to stop abusive bill collectors from hounding you for money. The FDCPA as it is known was created because bill collectors and collection agencies were notorious for harassing people day and night.
In the thirty years that have passed since this act came into being, much has been accomplished. However, much remains to be done since the industry of debt has increased by leaps and bounds.
Debt buying has become a huge industry, so much so that the courts are clogged with thousands of case files. Some of these cases are so old and out-of-date that it is surprising they have not been written off long ago. In today’s world old debts tend to hang around for years, being passed from one collection agency to another.
Thousands of these cases are being entered in the court as default judgments despite the lack of any real proof that the accused person actually owed the debt, or that the amount is correct. In many cases the debtor may not even be the correct person. Imagine being told that you may be taken to court, or that your house will be repossessed, for a debt that isn’t even yours.
If you are having problems with debt collectors, you need to be aware that the FDCPA sets out strict guidelines as to the behavior of debt collectors and collection agencies. Educate yourself about your rights, and fight back against debt collection harassment.