The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”) prohibits debt collectors from engaging in abusive, harassing, and unfair debt collection practices. However, since, this law was passed many years ago, it doesn’t address modern communication methods, such as text messages and emails. In late 2020, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) took steps to address…

Although debt collectors are permitted to contact consumers by telephone, there are strict rules they must follow when doing so. Unfortunately, however, debt collectors don’t always abide by these rules. Often, debt collectors employ high-pressure tactics in an attempt to coerce consumers into paying up. Therefore, consumers must always remain vigilant when dealing with debt…

In California, if you fail to pay your car loan, a repossession agent may take your car. In fact, as soon as you miss a car payment, the lender can arrange—without notice—to repossess your vehicle. The lender also may repossess your car if you breach your loan agreement in some other way, such as by…

If you lose a debt collection lawsuit in California, the debt collector typically has several options available to settle the debt you owe. For example, a debt collector may be able to garnish your wages and other assets to satisfy the debt. However, there are limits to what a debt collector may do to collect…

Let’s face it: no one likes to receive phone calls from debt collectors. In addition to being annoying, debt collection calls can feel downright intrusive. But is there a limit to how many times a debt collector may call a consumer about a debt? In this article, we answer this question and discuss some of…

Debt collectors will often do whatever it takes to collect a debt—including break the law. The reason many debt collectors are willing to do this is simple: threats and harassment are effective. When consumers are subjected to these types of tactics, they tend to make mistakes, including agreeing to pay debts that aren’t owed. Debt…

If you fail to pay a debt, the creditor might sell it to a debt buyer. Debt buyers purchase delinquent debts from original creditors for pennies on the dollar. They then attempt to collect the debts to make a large profit. If you’ve been contacted by a debt buyer about a delinquent debt, understanding how…

If you’ve been sued for a debt, there is a good chance that the company that filed the lawsuit isn’t the creditor from which you incurred the debt. If this is the case, you’ve been sued by a debt buyer. Fortunately, there are several common defenses to debt buyer lawsuits that you may be able…

Debt buyers are companies that purchase debts from original creditors. Major debt buyers include companies like Midland Funding LLC and Portfolio Recovery Associates. If you’ve been sued for an outstanding debt, there’s a good chance the entity that filed the lawsuit is a debt buyer. In this article, we discuss the debt buying industry and…