Many consumers have asked us how they can file a complaint with the government when they have been harassed by a debt collector.  This harassment can be verbal or written, and can result from abusive conduct or from receiving deceptive notices; it also includes debt collectors failing to comply with the requires of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) or the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA).

The good news is that it’s pretty easy to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.  All you need to do is go to the FTC website by clicking here.  Once you’re at the FTC website, click on the Complaint Assistant icon that is located toward the upper right hand side, just below the tabs, and follow the step-by-step instructions.

Of course, if the debt collector is violating the law, in most cases it’s a good idea to hire an experienced lawyer familiar with debt collection law to make sure the harassment or abuse stops.  If you would like a free consultation with a consumer lawyer practicing in Seminole County, Orange County, Volusia County, Lake County or Brevard County, please feel free to contact me through this website / blog, or call us toll-free at 1-888-834-5297.  You do not need to put up with debt collectors’ illegal conduct!

The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) provides important right to consumers in Florida and throughout the United States who are being harassed by debt collectors.  One of those is the right not to be subjected to debt collection practices that are unfair or unconscionable.  That law describes specific conduct by debt collectors that is unfair and illegal:

• Collecting any amounts that you did not expressly authorize in your credit agreement or that are not permitted by law; this includes interest, attorney fees, other fees, collection costs, charges and incidental expenses
• Soliciting (asking for) a post-dated check in violation of the FDCPA
• Depositing or threatening to deposit a post-dated check prior to the date on the check
• Taking or threatening to unlawfully repossess or disable your property
• Communicating with you by postcard
• Sending you a letter in an envelope that indicates it is from a debt collector

Each of these is a violation of the law.  In most cases, they are also violations of the similar Florida law called the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA).  Let me put my knowledge of the law to work for you.  Protect yourself from such unfair debt collection tactics – call me now, toll-free at 1-888-834-5297, or by clicking here.

Welcome to my new blog.  I am in the process of setting up this new blog in order to help Florida consumers, particularly those in Central Florida (Seminole County, Volusia County, Orange County, Brevard County, Lake County).  This includes the cities of Altamonte Springs, Altoona, Apopka, Cassadaga, Casselberry, Chuluota, Daytona Beach, DeBary, DeLand, Deltona, Eustis, Fern Park, Geneva, Heathrow, Lake Helen, Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Mount Dora, Mt. Plymouth, Orange City, Orlando, Osteen, Oviedo, Pine Hills, Port Orange, Sanford, South Daytona, Tavares, Umatilla, Winter Park, Winter Springs, and Winter Park, among others.

My goal is to share information with Florida consumers about their legal rights to help them pursue justice in the areas of auto fraud (rebuilt wrecks, odometer rollbacks, deceptive sales and financing, etc.), credit card (including defense of credit card collection cases), debt collection (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act/FDCPA, abusive debt collectors, collection of old or non-existent debts), lemon laws and other similar areas.

Although I have over ten years of experience as a consumer justice attorney, this blog is brand new, becoming operational for the first time on August 21, 2009.  We appreciate your patience as we begin providing you information by posting in the next several days.