"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 Canton, New York 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 Canton, New York?

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 laws that govern collections before you proceed, as breaking them can hurt your chances of collecting, and even expose you to liability.

The law blocks creditors from engaging in any form of violence against the debtor in an attempt to collect. It additionally bars them from using abusive language or contacting third parties about the debt owed by the debtor.

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 Canton, New York. You should make sure that any agency you hire is trustworthy, and has not been cited for violations of the laws governing collections.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Canton, New York?

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.

Fortunately, you have some options in Canton, New York. First of all, you should try to contact the creditor directly, and see if something can be worked out. If this doesn't work, you can demand that the collection agency stop contacting you by phone. When this happens, they are not permitted to contact you further. This, of course, doesn't make the debt go away, but if the calls are becoming unbearable, it might buy you a little bit of time. Usually, when this happens, the creditor gives up on extra-judicial collections, and files a lawsuit against the debtor.

If you have hired a lawyer in Canton, New York, 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 Canton, New York Collections Attorney Help?

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

If you are thinking about filing for bankruptcy, a good lawyer in New York can help you with that process, too.