"Collections" refers to the practices engaged in by creditors designed to obtain payment from debtors who are not interested in paying what they owe. In La Crosse, Wisconsin, there are numerous laws which specifically limit the practices that collections agencies can engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in La Crosse, Wisconsin?
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 precisely how much the debtor allegedly owes. If there is a large amount of money involved, it might be worth it to hire a La Crosse, Wisconsin 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 La Crosse, Wisconsin?
If you truly owe the money being sought, and you are able to pay it, you should of course do so. If the collection caller is behaving cordially, you should do the same. Even if the caller doesn't behave in a cordial manner, you should resist the temptation to respond in kind, and ask to speak with a supervisor, or simply end the conversation. Whatever you do, you should never ignore the issue. This will not make the problem go away.
Thankfully, you have numerous options at your disposal in La Crosse, Wisconsin. First, you should try to contact the creditor directly, and see if some sort of solution 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 La Crosse, Wisconsin, 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 La Crosse, Wisconsin Collections Attorney Help?
If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its attempts to collect, you should probably call a La Crosse, Wisconsin attorney, since such actions on the part of the creditor might actually give you a claim for damages against it.
Also, if you are considering bankruptcy as an option, a good Wisconsin attorney can help guide you through the process.