Debt collectors are allowed to contact debtors, but there are limitations on frequency and type of contact. They cannot leave intimidating or threatening messages on other people's phones or email accounts. There is a federal law designed to stop debt collectors in...
It can be exhausting when a debt collector calls you non-stop about your debts. You have other responsibilities in life, and having a debt collector pursuing you may interrupt your daily activities and affect your work performance. You may owe the money, but that...
Regular readers of our Minnesota Consumer Rights Blog know that we have several times written in the past about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Simply put, it’s a law that helps to protect consumers from abusive debt collectors. It’s not uncommon for a...
When someone has a considerable amount of debt, they are likely to be under a lot of stress and pressure. Trying to make ends meet while also keeping up on bills is never easy, but harassing debt collectors does not make things any easier. Debt collectors will try...
When those struggling with debt seek bankruptcy, one of the benefits of bankruptcy is getting an automatic stay, where debt collectors can’t call until the bankruptcy is resolved. If the debtor receives a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, most likely, nearly all of their debt...
Consumers and debt collectors have both been waiting for several years for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to issue its debt collection final rule. The 653-page rule clarifies bans on harassment and abusive debt collections, false or misleading...
As regular readers of our Minnesota Consumer Rights Blog know, we recently published the first part of our debt collection primer. In it, we wrote about different types of debt collectors and debt. As promised, we’re going to look at what you should do when you’re...
As we all know, the pandemic brought with it economic devastation that included millions of job losses, layoffs and reductions in work hours and pay. According to a recent report from the federal Department of Labor, more than 25 million Americans are currently...
Though Minnesota’s news outlets report on developments in the coronavirus pandemic every day, few have paid attention to the recent introduction of the COVID-19 Medical Debt Collection Relief Act in the U.S. Congress. The measure is written “to prevent healthcare...
Bankruptcy eliminates an individual’s obligations to pay any debts the court discharges. After successfully filing for bankruptcy, you were likely looking forward to the relief that comes with living debt-free and getting your financial life back on track....
