Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors trying to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are various laws and regulations in Fountain Inn, South Carolina that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are authorized to engage in.

What if I Am Owed Money in Fountain Inn, South 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 specific consumer protection laws. Violating these laws can hurt your chances of recovering what you are owed, and even subject you to civil or criminal penalties.

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

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 may be worth it to hire a Fountain Inn, South 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 different collections agencies in your area, to make sure the one you hire is dependable, and thoroughly follows the law.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Fountain Inn, South Carolina?

Of course, if you owe money and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving amicably, 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.

Your best option in Fountain Inn, South Carolina might be to contact the creditor directly, and try to work out some type of new repayment plan. The earlier you do this, the more receptive to your ideas the creditor is likely to be. If this isn't successful, you can demand that the collectors stop contacting you by phone, and they will normally be obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, and you should only take this route if you are ready to defend against a lawsuit from your creditors, since demanding that they stop contacting you typically leaves them with no other option but to sue.

If you have hired a Fountain Inn, South Carolina attorney to help you through this process, he or she may advise that you declare bankruptcy. Once this occurs, creditors are legally barred from trying to collect against the debtor. Of course, this is a major decision, and should not be made lightly.

How Can a Fountain Inn, South Carolina Collections Attorney Help?

If you believe that a creditor is violating the law in its effort to collect from you, you should get in touch with a Fountain Inn, South Carolina attorney, since you may actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.

If you are thinking about applying for bankruptcy, a seasoned lawyer in South Carolina can help you with that process, too.