Is a debt collector threatening you with a warrant over an old debt? Wondering if they can even do that? Not sure how you’re going to win the fight? ZumaZip.com is a great place to learn how to respond to debt collectors and win your case.
Debt collectors are known for their extreme tactics of pursuing delinquent borrowers, but there are limits to how far they can go. Firstly, debt collectors cannot issue a warrant for your arrest or have you jailed because of a debt. Secondly, you cannot go to prison for an unpaid debt.
However, a debt collector can sue you for unpaid debt and serve you the summons. Depending on the case, the judge can issue a warrant for your arrest if you fail to appear in court. You can also go to jail for failure to honor your tax obligation or child support. Therefore, it is always the right thing to respond to a court order.
This article explains what debt collectors can or cannot do during debt collection processes.
Don’t let debt collectors push you around. Respond with ZumaZip.
Debt collectors cannot claim to be a government agency worker
A debt collector cannot pretend to work for a government agency, such as consumer reporting or law enforcement agencies. Many debt collectors tend to threaten borrowers with claims that they can be arrested for failure to pay their debts and may even claim to work for agencies responsible for enforcing such laws.
However, they are not supposed to falsely claim that you have committed a crime by not paying your debt on time or threaten to arrest you. Such claims would be considered illegal, and you have a right to sue them in court.
Debt collectors cannot shame you in public
Your debt and what you owe a creditor is a private matter, and a debt collector should keep it that way during the collection process. Therefore, debt collectors can’t publicly publish the borrowers’ names or any information about the debt. They also can’t discuss the debt with any other person other than the borrower (you).
If the debt collector has difficulty finding you, they can contact people who know you only to seek your contact information, such as your phone number and address. They can’t, however, call you during odd hours.
Debt collectors cannot collect money you do not owe
Many debt collectors rely on information about a debt they may have bought from a creditor to pursue the borrower. Sometimes, they may unknowingly use information that is not updated to collect the money.
Sometimes, mistakes happen as the debt changes hands among different collecting agencies, leading to missing information or wrong entries. If you have been served with a lawsuit for a wrongly recorded debt, or you believe it is not yours, ZumaZip can help you file your Answer correctly.
Use ZumaZip to respond to a debt collector in 15 minutes.
Debt collectors cannot harass you
Debt collectors can be aggressive when collecting debts from borrowers. However, you can stop them from going overboard with their tactics, as required by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The law does not permit debt collectors to:
- Be violent against borrowers.
- Call you repeatedly in a day.
- Use profanity during their communication.
- Call you instead of your attorney if you communicated to them in writing about contacting your attorney.
- Call you at work or during working hours if you communicated to them in writing.
If you stop a debt collector from contacting you through legal means, they can do it one last time to let you know that they would no longer be contacting you. They can also contact you again to inform you of court summons if they decide to file a lawsuit.
It is always best to respond to a debt collector’s first communication with you to prevent them from being too aggressive trying to reach you. At the same time, bear in mind the limits set by the FDCPA to protect you from bad debt collection practices.
Debt collectors are legally prohibited from utilizing harassment, embarrassment and other questionable tactics to collect on a debt. If you are being subjected to harassing behavior by a debt collector, you may have legal grounds to file a civil action against the debt collector, and their company, to obtain monetary damages.
What is ZumaZip?
ZumaZip is a convenient solution designed to streamline your response to a debt collection lawsuit. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect when you use ZumaZip:
Firstly, you’ll access our user-friendly web application, which guides you through the process step by step. You’ll be prompted to answer a series of questions related to your specific situation. Once you’ve completed the questionnaire, you have the option to either print out the finalized forms and mail them to the appropriate courts yourself, or you can opt to utilize ZumaZip’s services to file them on your behalf. Additionally, if you choose this option, an attorney will review your document for added peace of mind.
If you’re seeking guidance on how to effectively respond to a debt collection lawsuit, ZumaZip can provide the assistance you need. Feel free to explore our FAQs for more information on what ZumaZip has to offer.
What if I haven’t been sued yet?
If you’ve only received a collections notice, but not a lawsuit, the best way to respond is with a Debt Validation Letter. When a debt collector contacts you in any way, whether it’s by phone or mail, you can respond by formally requesting a debt validation with a Debt Validation Letter . This letter notifies the collector that you dispute the debt and forces them to provide proof you owe the debt. They can’t call you or continue collecting until they provide validation of the debt. This flowchart shows how you can use a Debt Validation Letter to win.
Get started with a Debt Validation Letter here.
How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states
Here’s a list of guides on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in each state:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont; Vermont (Small Claims court)
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Guides on how to beat every debt collector
Hey there! Facing off against a debt collector can feel like a daunting challenge, but fear not! We’re here to help you navigate through it all with our handy guides designed to assist you in beating every debt collector you encounter. Whether you’re facing a new lawsuit or dealing with a persistent collector, we’ve got your back. Stay positive, stay informed, and let’s tackle this together!
- Absolute Resolutions Investments LLC
- Accredited Collection Services
- Alliance One
- Amcol Clmbia
- American Recovery Service
- Asset Acceptance LLC
- Asset Recovery Solutions
- Associated Credit Services
- Autovest LLC
- Cach LLC
- Cavalry SPV I LLC
- Cerastes LLC
- Colinfobur
- Covington Credit
- Crown Asset Management
- CTC Debt Collector
- Cypress Financial Recoveries
- Delanor Kemper & Associates
- Eagle Loan of Ohio
- Educap
- Estate Information Services
- FIA Card Services
- Forster & Garbus
- Freshview Solutions
- Fulton Friedman & Gullace LLP
- Harvest Credit Management
- Howard Lee Schiff
- Hudson & Keyse LLC
- Integras Capital Recovery LLC
- Javitch Block
- Jefferson Capital Systems LLC
- LVNV Funding
- Mannbracken
- Mariner Finance
- Medicredit
- Michael J Adams PC
- Michael J Scott
- Midland Funding LLC
- Mullooly, Jeffrey, Rooney & Flynn
- Mountain Land Collections
- MRS Associates
- National Collegiate Trust
- Nationstar Foreclosure
- Northstar Capital Acquisition
- NCEP LLC
- NRC Collection Agency
- OneMain Financial
- Palisades Collection LLC
- Pallida LLC
- Paragon Revenue Group
- Pinnacle Collections Agency
- PMAB LLC
- Portfolio Recovery Associates
- Provest Law
- PYOD LLC
- Reunion Student Loan Finance Corporation
- Revenue Group
- Regents and Associates
- RSIEH
- Salander Enterprises LLC
- Second Round Sub LLC
- Security Credit Services
- Sherman Financial Group
- Suttell and Hammer
- T-Mobile
- Transworld Systems
- Tulsa Teachers Credit Union
- UCB Collection
- Velo Law Office
- Velocity Investments
- Waypoint Resource Group
- Weinberg and Associates
- Wolpoff & Abramson
Settle your medical debt
Having a health challenge is stressful, but dealing medical debt on top of it is overwhelming. Here are some resources on how to manage medical debt.
- Am I Responsible for My Spouse’s Medical Debt?
- Do I Need a Lawyer for Medical Bills?
- Do I Need a Lawyer to Fight Medical Bill Debt?
- Does Bankruptcy Clear Medical Debt?
- How Much Do Collection Agencies Pay for Medical Debt?
- How to Find Medical Debt Forgiveness Programs
- Is There a Statute of Limitations on Medical Bills?
- Medical Debt Statute of Limitations by State
- Summoned to Court for Medical Bills — What Do I Do?
- Summoned to Court for Medical Bills? What to Do Next
Stop calls from Debt Collectors
Do you keep getting calls from an unknown number, only to realize that it’s a debt collector on the other line? If you’ve been called by any of the following numbers, chances are you have collectors coming after you, and we’ll tell you how to stop them.
