The screen lights up on your cell phone. You let the call go to voicemail and when you retrieve the message, you are surprised to hear the message is from a law firm. Surprise is not a strong enough word to describe how you feel after listening to the representative from the law firm threaten you with a lawsuit. An outstanding debt has come back to haunt you and there appears no way for you to turn for help. You decide to reverse trace the call and when you do, the supposed law firm is actually a debt collection agency.
You should know the representative from the alleged law firm violated two provisions of a longstanding federal consumer protection law.
About Global Credit & Collection
Because of 70 consumer complaints closed by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2016, Global Credit & Collection has not received accreditation from the leading consumer advocacy organization. The lack of accreditation from the BBB means the third party debt collector needs to stop harassing consumers by making frequent phone calls at odd hours of the day. Based in Chicago, Global Credit & Collection concentrates its debt collection efforts on delinquent bank card accounts.
Misrepresentation is Illegal under Federal Law
Passed by the United States Congress on September 20, 1977, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) outlaws dozens of previously legal debt collection tactics. For example a bill collector such as Global Credit & Collection is prohibited from threatening you in any way. A company responsible for collecting outstanding debts for original creditors cannot threaten you with a lawsuit in an attempt to coerce you into taking care of credit card or a personal loan account. However, a debt collection agency is fully within its legal right to file a lawsuit against you that seeks full payment on a consumer debt.
The FDCPA also bans the debt collection practice of deceiving consumers. Some third party debt collectors misrepresent themselves to trick consumers in paying off delinquent credit card and personal loan balances. By claiming it was a law firm, the bill collector in the example above violated a provision of the FDCPA. Add deception to the threat of filing a lawsuit, and the company has committed two violations of the landmark consumer protection law.
![Did Global Credit & Collection Misrepresent Themselves?*]()
What Happens When Global Credit & Collection Violates the FDCPA?
After you speak with a representative from a bill collector for the first time, you should quickly get in touch with an experienced FDCPA Attorney. Your FDCPA attorney will conduct an extensive review of your case to determine if there is enough evidence to file a claim in civil court. The FDCPA grants consumers the right to file claims seeking statutory and actual damages. Statutory damages represent a one-time financial award to punish a debt collection agency for violating one or more provisions of the FDCPA. Actual damages cover the pain and suffering caused by physical and/or emotional distress symptoms.
Be proactive when it comes to dealing with a third party debt collector that breaks the law. Schedule a free initial consultation today with an experienced FDCPA lawyer.
Additional Reading
*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Global Credit & Collection, or any other third-party collection agency, you may not be entitled to compensation.