Debt Collection Defense is an area of law at which my firm has a great deal of experience. With the rise of delinquent debt and the outsourcing of that debt to shady collection agencies, having an attorney to protect your interests has become vital. If you are being sued in Allegheny County, click here for useful information. If you are being sued in another county, click here. Whatever you do, PLEASE make sure that you consult with a consumer attorney if you are sued or if you are facing a collection issue. Do not try to play lawyer!
There are a number of collection agencies in the Pennsylvania area who buy bad debt for pennies on the dollar. Cavalry, LVNV, Midland, Portfolio Recovery, Unifund, Velocity, the list goes on and on. After purchase of these accounts, they begin a systematic collection process that often violates state and federal collection laws. Unless you have the right consumer attorney you are at a distinct disadvantage when dealing with these agencies. Please don’t try to handle a case by yourself and please be sure to contact a consumer attorney before you do anything else.
We have heard stories of repeated phone calls at home and at work, threats of legal action, threats of wage garnishment (which cannot occur in Pennsylvania except under very limited circumstances) threats of jail time and worse.
You should know that you are protected by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The FDCPA is a federal law that sets forth the specific rights of the debtor and further sets forth the acceptable collection practices that the debt collector may use. There are other Pennsylvania and federal laws that offer similar protections from these collection agencies.
All of the above activities are illegal and contrary to the rights afforded you under federal and state laws. If you have been threatened by a debt collector, call my office for a free consultation or visit our Lawsuit Defense page for more information on these types of cases. In most cases, we will advise you to defend the lawsuit but there certainly are instances where a settlement is the better move. Only a detailed consultation with a consumer attorney can determine the proper course of action for you.
I am well versed in the rights of creditors and debtors, and in many areas of consumer law, based in part in my knowledge of the law and my experience in dealing with thousands of these types of cases. If you have a collection agency attempting to collect a debt from you, please contact my office at 412-823-8003 or send an email to Attorney Greg Artim