North Carolina residents like you deserve kindness and understanding when struggling with debt. After all, we all make mistakes and falling into debt is a scary enough experience without harassment.
Unfortunately, some debt collectors can and do still harass individuals they are collecting from. This is illegal, though, and you can stop them from carrying out their harassment through bankruptcy.
What are forms of harassment?
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau discusses debt collector harassment. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) ruled that debt collectors cannot use abusive tactics. But many still do, thinking they can get away with it.
You are dealing with debt collector harassment if you:
- Receive repeated phone calls made with the express intention of annoying, abusing or frightening you
- Receive calls at obscene hours
- Receive calls in which the caller refuses to self-identify
- Deal with threats of violence or harm
- Suffer through verbal harassment i.e. use of profane or obscene language
How does filing for bankruptcy help?
Filing for bankruptcy puts a stop to all contact that creditors can have with you during the duration of the bankruptcy period. This means they cannot communicate you in positive or negative ways, or risk penalty by law. It goes into effect as soon as you file and lasts until you pay your debts through repayment plans or liquidation.
Of course, you can also sue debt collectors who harassed you while you are handling bankruptcy. If you win, the debt collector often must pay your attorney’s fee. They also pay you damages. You may want to consider this option in addition to filing for bankruptcy.
