Consumer Protection

Are you being harassed by collection agencies? Have your creditors contacted your friends, family, or neighbors in an attempt to collect a debt? Do you feel like you are being treated unfairly by people you owe?

You may owe money, but that does NOT mean anyone has the right to harass you.

This kind of behavior isn’t just annoying or frustrating, it is illegal. Marks Law Firm will fight for your rights and defend you from predatory collection agencies. We can mobilize state and federal laws to your advantage and leverage our powers of attorney to find you relief.

We also file lawsuits under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Iowa Debt Collection Practices Act (IDCPA), which protect you as a debtor. In many cases, collection agencies and creditors are required to pay you between $100 to $1,000 if they’ve violated the law.

Call or contact us now if you’re struggling with the anxiety and frustration of frequent, out-of-line collection calls or correspondence.  We’ll be happy to schedule a free in-office consultation or a telephone conference.  We’ll talk with you about your situation, tell you how to take control, and discuss your options in greater detail.

Illegal collection tactics are used almost every day.  For example:

• If the debt collector harasses you (using obscene or profane language, calling more than once per day, engaging in threatening behavior, etc.), the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If a debt collector calls your place of work after you’ve told them not to do so, the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If a debt collector communicates with you (in written or oral form) and fails to inform you that the communication is from a collector and will be used for that purpose, the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If a debt collector calls anyone other than the account holder about debt (excluding co-signers) for any reason other than locating the account holder, the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If the debt collector makes any threat or intimidation, not limited to phone calls or letters, like telling you that Sheriff will be sent to your workplace, threatening you with a garnishment or warning you that they’ll publicly advertise your debt, the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If the debt collector is attempting to collect a debt that was discharged in bankruptcy or that no longer exists by sending bills, calling for payments, demanding full payment in a short period or trying to collect on an already-settled account, the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If the debt collector engages in inaccurate reporting to credit bureaus, the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If the debt collector misrepresents the amount of money you owe or the legal status of the debt, the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If the debt collector continues to contact you after they’re on notice that an attorney is representing you, the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If the debt collector threatens to garnish your wages or to take your personal property without having a legal right or court order, the debt collector is breaking the law.
• If the debt collector threatens you with criminal prosecution or implies that you’re committing a crime or that you could be arrested or jailed, the debt collector is breaking the law.

You can find an even more detailed list of ways debt collectors may be violating your rights at the Federal Trade Commission’s website.

Many creditors know that they’re acting illegally.  They simply find it more profitable to break the law than it is to follow it.  They know that most people don’t understand their rights and won’t act to defend them.

You can protect your rights. If you’re dealing with a collector who you believe is acting illegally or inappropriately, contact Marks Law Firm for a free consultation.