Can Creditors Publish My Name to Embarrass Me?

As bankruptcy attorneys, we get a lot of calls from people who are being harassed by creditors. In many cases, these individuals are extremely frustrated. It seems to them that the tactics that are being utilized are not reasonable or fair. Here at OlsenDaines, we apply a simple rule that is almost always on the money when it comes to creditor harassment: If it seems to you like it should be illegal, it probably is, and there are legal steps that you can take to bring the harassment to a screeching halt.

 

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

 

Back in September of 1977 a piece of legislation was enacted as a response to very aggressive tactics that were often being utilized by collection agencies. It is called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This measure spells out the parameters that people who work for collection agencies must follow when they are attempting to collect debts. To go directly to the question that serves as the title of this blog post, under a provision contained within the FDCPA, collection agencies are not allowed to publish your name as a delinquent debtor in an effort to embarrass you. (One caveat would be that in some jurisdictions, collection agencies that collect outstanding child support payments are allowed to publish names without violating this law.)

 

There are many other provisions contained within this act that protect consumers. If the collector is aware of the fact that you are not allowed to take collection calls at work, they cannot call you while you are on the job. There are also restrictions with regard to the hours during which they are allowed to contact you. Under typical circumstances, their window is confined to the hours between eight a.m. and nine p.m. Plus, they cannot contact you at all if they are aware of the fact that you have legal representation. These are a handful of the restrictions, but there are a number of others.

 

Schedule a Free Debt Relief Consultation Today

 

You do not have to sit idly by while aggressive, demeaning collectors constantly invade your life. Many people fall into unmanageable debt as a result of circumstances that are out of their control, and regardless of the underlying causes, you have legal recourse. If you would like to discuss your options with a Portland, Oregon bankruptcy attorney, we would be more than glad to assist you. We provide free consultations to people in Portland and a number of other cities scattered throughout the state of Oregon. To set up an appointment, send us a brief message through our contact page and we will take care of the rest.