It's important to remember this, especially when you're unemployed, have used up all of your savings – and are still just barely getting by each month.
Once you’ve had debt collectors become abusive, constantly violate your privacy or keep on demanding unfair payments you cannot afford – give serious thought to contacting your Peachtree City consumer protection attorney. You can then find out if you have adequate grounds for filing a lawsuit for damages under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
How One Former Debt Collector Now Advocates for Debtors
According to a CNBC personal finance article, even a former debt collector can so thoroughly changed that he now feels obligated to help debtors learn how to better protect themselves from those still active in his former profession.
Steven Katz now believes it’s his duty to teach debtors how to protect themselves when interacting with debt collectors. He takes pride in knowing that many of his former co-workers and bosses in the debt collection industry now view him as a “credit terrorist.” As an older, experienced accountant, Mr. Katz understands the many types of financial problems that people have and doesn’t want them to feel overwhelmed when debt collectors harass them. He takes great pleasure in telling others about the $1,000 he recovered after successfully suing a debt buyer he says damaged his credit.
How Mr. Katz and Others Are Trying to Help Today's Debtors
- Mr. Katz maintains the free membership website Debtorboards.com. You can learn many things about the types of lawsuits other debtors are bringing against abusive debt collectors by visiting that website. If you look closely, you'll also notice the financial rewards some debtors have won after successfully taking their abusive debt collectors to court;
- Mr. Katz “spends his time schooling debtors on the finer points of consumer protection law to help them turn the tables on debt collectors;”
- Minneapolis trial lawyer Peter Barry regularly holds “boot camps” to help other lawyers learn how to (more) successfully file litigation that can truly benefit debtor clients.
The Possible Future That Awaits Today’s Debt Collectors
Of course, the debt collection industry will never go away peacefully, especially since many of them view themselves as the saviors of the rich – who need help bringing deadbeats to justice. In fact, fee-based websites like WebRecon (run by Jack Gordon) will probably continue to thrive – it tries to help debt collectors keep tabs on debtors through its “Bureau of Litigant Data.”
However, there’s a small chance that one day, a large percentage of professional debt collectors will have sudden “epiphanies” -- and realize that a great many debtors are extremely honest people who work long hours and are just doing the best they can in a world filled with minimum wage jobs and few opportunities for the poor.
If you believe that you’re a victim of any abusive debt collection practices, contact the Law Offices of Georgia consumer protection attorney Shane Smith so that you can learn more about your rights under federal and state consumer protection statutes. Call (980) 246-2656 today to schedule your free initial consultation.