"Collections" refers broadly to the numerous tools that creditors have at their disposal to receive payment from debtors who are not paying what they owe. There are many Mecklenburg County, North Carolina laws and regulations concerning the conduct of collections agencies, and what they can and cannot do in order to collect.

What if I Am Owed Money in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina?

If you are owed money and the debtor refuses to pay, you have some options at your disposal. However, you must tread lightly when it comes to collecting your debts. Creditors and collectors are governed by strict consumer protection rules. Violating these rules can hurt your chances of recovering what you are owed, and even subject you to civil or criminal penalties.

For example, when attempting to collect, creditors are not allowed to use abusive language, contact any third party about the debt, and of course they are not allowed to use threats of violence in an attempt to get their money.

You may, however, send a written demand for timely payment. The demand should lay out clearly how much the debtor allegedly owes. If there is a large amount of money involved, it might be worth it to hire a Mecklenburg County, North Carolina 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 dependable, and carefully follows the law.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina?

Of course, if you owe money and have the ability to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving cordially, you should do the same. In any case, it is never a good idea to ignore the issue, because that will definitely not make it go away.

Thankfully, you have various options at your disposal in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. First, you should try to contact the creditor directly, and see if some sort of agreement can be worked out. If this is unsuccessful, you can tell the collectors to stop contacting you, which may work in some instances. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it might give you a little bit of breathing room. The collectors will only be allowed to contact you to let you know that they are suing you for the money owed, or that they have stopped attempting to collect the debt.

If you have hired a lawyer in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 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 Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that a collection agency is engaging in illegal tactics, you should call a local Mecklenburg County, North Carolina attorney, as you might have a claim for damages against the creditor or the collection agency.

Also, if you're considering filing for bankruptcy, a good attorney in North Carolina can tell you if this is a good option, and, if it is, help you through the process.