Creditor Harassment Lawyer

Protecting Our Clients from Creditor Abuse

Are you being harassed by creditors in writing or over the phone even after your debts were discharged? Have you become aware of incorrect and negative errors on your credit report? If you’re dealing with these and other issues related to creditors, you might be a victim of creditor harassment, and our experienced lawyers are here to help you.

Harassment on the part of debt collectors is not only a nuisance but also an infringement on your rights. After you file for bankruptcy or receive a debt discharge, you have the right to be protected from the abusive tactics of creditors, which is what the legal professionals at Atlas Law Center can do. Our debt collection harassment attorneys are passionate about protecting the consumer rights of the men and women we serve in Chicago, Illinois. Contact us to learn how our legal services can benefit you and your family.

What Federal or State Laws Protect Consumers from Abuse Debt Collectors?

Unless you know about the state and federal laws meant to protect consumers, you might not realize that abusive debt collectors are in the wrong and can face legal consequences for their actions. What you might consider merely bothersome could turn out to be against state or federal law, since there are several laws meant to protect consumers like you from harassment.

Fortunately, our Illinois creditor harassment attorneys are well-versed in the state and federal laws governing the actions that debt collectors can take when seeking payment. Such laws include:

Our harassment lawyers have an in-depth understanding of what each federal and state law prohibits creditors from doing. As a result, when we take on your case and review the actions of the creditors harassing you, we can identify which state or federal law they broke as we prepare to take legal action against them.

In short, when you become our client, you can seek our protective services through our Protect The Discharge program. If we find that your rights are being violated under one of the laws previously mentioned, we are ready and willing to file lawsuits against any at-fault creditors. Being harassed by creditors after debt discharge is an unlawful nuisance that should not be tolerated. Contact us today to put a stop to it.

What Are Examples of Debt Collection Harassment?

If you’re unsure if you have a case worth pursuing, you should get an idea of what kind of behavior is considered debt collection harassment in Illinois. In general, you should contact our law firm if you’ve had debt collectors do one or more of the following in recent months:

Threatening to hurt you if you don’t pay them
Using obscene or profane language
Lying about the amount of money you owe them
Calling, texting, or emailing you at an excessive rate
Refusing to identify themselves when they call
Pretending to be an attorney or government employee
Claiming you will be arrested unless you pay them
Publishing information about your debts for the public to see

If these actions sound familiar and you want them to stop, contact our legal team to find out what we can do about it. You should never be made to feel humiliated, scared, or ashamed due to past debts. If a debt collector has made you feel this way due to abusive or unfair debt collection practices, let our lawyers hold them accountable. If you’re ready to stop creditor harassment as soon as possible, call our law offices to speak with a Chicago debt collection harassment attorney.

What Rights Do Consumers Have?

You have certain rights that every debt collector must pay attention to, and it’s important to know what they are so you can seek legal representation when debt collection agencies violate these rights. If you need clarification on whether the actions of a debt collector are considered abusive, contact our legal team for answers about your case.

First, it’s essential to know that it’s considered harassment if a debt collector calls you before 8:00 am or after 9:00 pm. After all, harassing calls include more than incessant phone calls and abusive language, as receiving calls very early or late in the day can be bothersome for the whole family. So, if you receive phone calls from a creditor outside permitted calling hours, speak with a creditor harassment attorney immediately to learn about your legal options.

Another law to keep in mind is that creditors aren’t allowed to call you at work if you’ve asked them to stop. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) outlines when, where, and under what circumstances creditors can contact you – specifically over the phone. In fact, creditors can’t call you at work if you tell them to stop calling because your employer doesn’t want you to receive those types of calls. In other words, it isn’t specifically unlawful for debt collectors to call you at your place of employment, but it is illegal for them to call you if they have any reason to believe your employer doesn’t want them to.

In addition, it’s illegal for creditors to talk to your family and friends about the debt you owe. Creditors might think they can call your family and friends as a scare tactic to get you to pay, but this is completely illegal. According to the FDCPA, it’s okay for creditors to contact your friends and family if they’re simply looking to find you—in these cases, you can’t stop debt collectors from calling family members. Debt collectors cannot, however, divulge your private financial information or even insinuate that you have an unpaid debt. This is a violation of your right to privacy. The FDCPA also has certain restrictions that collectors must follow when contacting your family members and friends, such as the number of times they can call.

Finally, you should note that you are not legally required to give debt collectors all the information they might request from you. In fact, you should never give a debt collector any personal information. More specifically, you are not required to give them any additional contact information, like secondary phone numbers or email addresses. You are also not required to provide a debt collector with your financial information.

Most importantly, never give a debt collector your bank account number or Social Security number! This could lead to garnishment or even identity theft. If you have any questions about what to tell a debt collector on the phone or want to know if they’re breaking any laws with their efforts to collect debts, contact our Chicago law firm to speak with a knowledgeable attorney.

Should You Hire an Illinois Creditor Harassment Lawyer?

At Atlas Law Center, we are proud to say we have an A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau and a principal lawyer with a 10.0 “Superb” Avvo Rating. This should put your mind at ease as you look for a lawyer who can protect you from a debt collector who may be using abusive or harassing tactics when it comes to their debt collection efforts.

At our Chicago firm, we’re aggressive and tireless when protecting the rights of our clients, both inside and outside of the courtroom. We will personally handle all the details of your post-discharge matter and employ our solid litigation skills to pursue justice on your behalf before the statute of limitation expires. If you’re ready to learn more about how we can defend you from a debt collector who uses unfair or abusive debt collection tactics, call 331-321-4748 to speak with a compassionate attorney about your legal rights.