"Collections" refers to the process by which creditors try to get nonpaying debtors to pay what is owed. There are countless laws in Greenbelt, Maryland regulating the conduct of collections agences.

What if I Am Owed Money in Greenbelt, Maryland?

If you are owed money and the debtor won't pay, for whatever reason, you are entitled to seek collection by any lawful means. Of course, the means of collection that are considered "lawful" are quite limited. You should be aware of the rules that govern collections before you proceed, as violating them can hurt your chances of collecting, and even expose you to liability.

Several practices that collectors cannot engage in include the use of abusive language, contacting third parties about the debt, and threatened or actual 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 substantial, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Greenbelt, Maryland. You should make sure that any agency you hire is trustworthy, and has not been cited for violations of the rules governing collections.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Greenbelt, Maryland?

If you truly owe the money that they are attempting 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 polite manner. In any event, you should never ignore the problem, as this usually makes things worse.

Luckily, you have some options in Greenbelt, Maryland. First of all, you should try to directly contact the creditor, and see if some revised 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 typically be obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it may 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 Greenbelt, Maryland, they might advise that you apply for bankruptcy. Of course, whether or not this is a good idea depends strongly on the facts of your specific case, so you should not do so unless an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a possible solution.

How Can a Greenbelt, Maryland Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its effort to collect, you should probably call a Greenbelt, Maryland attorney, since such actions on the part of the creditor may actually give you a claim for damages against it.

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