"Collections" is the process by which creditors attempt to get nonpaying debtors to pay the money they owe. There are a large number of laws in Chowchilla, California governing the tactics that collection agencies can and cannot do.

What if I Am Owed Money in Chowchilla, California?

If somebody owes you money and is refusing to pay, you have many options at your disposal. However, in doing so, you will be governed by very strict consumer protection laws that govern the collection of debts. Breaking these rules can hurt your chances at successfully collecting, and might even expose you to civil liability.

As an example, when trying to collect, creditors may not use abusive language, contact third parties regarding the debt, or use violence or threats of violence.

What you can do, however, is send an invoice of the debt to the debtor, along with a firm (but civil) demand for timely payment. If the debt is considerable, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Chowchilla, California. You should make sure that any agency you hire is dependable, and has not been cited for violations of the laws governing collections.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Chowchilla, California?

If you really owe the money that they are trying to collect, and are able to pay it, doing so would be your best option for ending the collections calls. Of course, this is not everybody's situation. When dealing with collectors, you should try to maintain the high ground by behaving in a calm and civil manner. In any event, you should never ignore the problem, as this usually makes things worse.

Luckily, you have some options in Chowchilla, California. First of all, you should attempt to directly contact the creditor, and see if some modified payment plan can be worked out. If this doesn't work, you can ask the collectors to stop contacting you by phone, and they will normally be obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it might give you some time to collect yourself and prepare a legal defense. Once this happens, the collection agency can only contact you to inform you that it intends to sue you for the debt owed.

If you have hired a lawyer in Chowchilla, California, they might advise that you file for bankruptcy. Of course, whether or not this is a good idea depends heavily on the facts of your individual case, so you should not do so until an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a feasible solution.

How Can a Chowchilla, California Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its attempts to collect, you should probably call a Chowchilla, California attorney, since such behavior on the part of the creditor might actually give you a claim for damages against it.

Also, if you are considering bankruptcy as an option, a good California attorney can help guide you through the process.