Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors attempting to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are numerous laws and regulations in Sweet Home, Oregon that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are permitted to engage in.

What if I Am Owed Money in Sweet Home, Oregon?

If someone owes you money and refuses to pay it, you have various options at your disposal. However, when it comes to collecting their debts, creditors are governed by strict consumer protection rules. Violation of these rules while attempting to collect could hurt your chances at successfully recovering your money, and/or subject 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.

One thing you are allowed to do is send a written demand for immediate payment. The demand should lay out the exact amount you believe is owed, so the debtor cannot plausibly claim ignorance of that fact. If a lot of money is involved, it might be prudent to hire a Sweet Home, Oregon collections agency. If you go this route, it is critical to make sure that you hire an agency that is trustworthy, and follows the relevant law to the letter.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Sweet Home, Oregon?

If you know that you owe the money being sought of you, and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so - this is the quickest and surest way to end collections calls. Of course, this is not the case for everyone. Whatever your situation, you should always behave cordially with the collection callers, especially if they are doing the same. Whatever you do, you should not ignore the matter, because this will never make the problem go away, and will make things worse in the long run.

Fortunately, you have some options in Sweet Home, Oregon. 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 Sweet Home, Oregon attorney to help you through this process, he or she might advise that you declare bankruptcy. Once this occurs, creditors are legally barred from attempting to collect against the debtor. Of course, this is a major decision, and should not be made lightly.

How Can a Sweet Home, Oregon Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its attempts to collect, you should probably call a Sweet Home, Oregon 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 bankruptcy, a good Oregon bankrutpcy attorney can help guide you through the process.