How do you file a complaint against a creditor for harassment

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Answer

Contact your attorney general in your state and also the federal trade commission and report them. Then send a letter to the collection agencies to cease all telephone communication with you and your family and friends. IF it continues get ahold of attorney because you can sue them for harrassment, tape phone conversations if it is legal in your state, but once you send the the cease letter they can only reply by mail and if they threaten you in letter you will also have that to back you up in court Exercise good judgment here. The advice above is specific to THIRD PARTY collection activity. If you are dealing with the FIRST PARTY (the original creditor) be certain of the ground you stand on. A Cease & Desist letter to a FIRST PARTY (depending on the state you reside in) could land you in front of a judge. Each situation is different. Don't think for a minute that a letter will make a bad situation better. It may not. If this is course you are considering, check with legal counsel in your state before you make a move YOU THINK is clever.

Answer

You may file a complaint with the FTC and one with your state's Attorney General office. Additionally, you may sue creditors for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

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Be sure to have clear documentation of what the violation was and be prepared to have evidence of the violation if you intend to take legal action. Recording conversations you have with the collector is the best way to do this, but check your state laws to make sure this is legal to do. You may have to disclose to the collector that you are recording them.

Third party collection agencies are governed by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act which outlines some specific actions they are prohibited from taking. Multiple calls to the same telephone number in one day, calling before 8am or after 9pm, using profanity or disclosing information about the debt to a third party without your permission, for example, are included.

Understand that being called or contacted in writing with a request to pay a delinquent debt, in and of itself, does not constitute harassment. If you are delinquent, it's unreasonable to expect your lender/creditor to do nothing to get repaid.

You may send a cease and desist request so that you no longer receive calls or letters attempting to collect your debt. If you do so, be mindful that your debt hasn't gone away even if attempts to collect it have and you have now effectively taken away the lenders ability to try to work with you. Lenders can, and do, take legal action for non-payment.