"Collections" refers to the process by which creditors attempt to get nonpaying debtors to pay what is owed. There are numerous laws in Hibbing, Minnesota regulating the conduct of collections agences.
What if I Am Owed Money in Hibbing, Minnesota?
If someone owes you money and won't pay, you have some legal options to seek repayment of your debt. However, you need to be careful in this area. There are many laws and regulations detailing what debt collectors can and cannot do. Breaking these laws, even inadvertently, can harm your chances at collecting, and maybe even expose you to civil penalties.
Some practices that collectors cannot engage in include the use of abusive language, contacting third parties about the debt, and threatened or actual violence.
You may, however, send a written demand for timely payment. The demand should lay out precisely how much the debtor allegedly owes. If there is a large amount of money involved, it might be worth it to hire a Hibbing, Minnesota collections agency, which will probably take its fee in the form of a percentage of the debt collected. You should do some research on various collections agencies in your area, to make sure the one you hire is trustworthy, and carefully follows the law.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Hibbing, Minnesota?
If you truly owe the money that is being sought, and can afford to pay it, you should do so. If the collection caller is behaving in a cordial manner, you should try to do the same. In any case, the worst thing you can do is ignore the issue hoping that it will go away. It won't.
Luckily, you have some options in Hibbing, Minnesota. First of all, you should attempt to directly contact the creditor, and see if some adjusted 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 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 Hibbing, Minnesota, 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 specific case, so you should not do so until an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a possible solution.
How Can a Hibbing, Minnesota Collections Attorney Help?
If you believe that the collections agency is engaging in illegal or abusive activity, you should consult with a local attorney in Hibbing, Minnesota, as you might actually have a claim for damages against the collection agency.
If you are thinking about filing for bankruptcy, a good lawyer in Minnesota can help you with that process, too.