"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 Oak Creek, Wisconsin, there are countless laws which carefully limit the practices that collections agencies can engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in Oak Creek, 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 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.
For example, when trying to collect, creditors are not allowed to use abusive language, contact any third party regarding the debt, and of course they are not allowed to use threats of violence in an attempt to get their money.
One thing you are allowed to do is send a written demand for immediate payment. The demand should lay out the precise 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 wise to hire an Oak Creek, Wisconsin collections agency. If you go this route, it is crucial 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 Oak Creek, Wisconsin?
Of course, if you owe money and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving courteously, 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 numerous options at your disposal in Oak Creek, 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 trying to collect the debt.
If you have hired a lawyer in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, they might advise that you apply for bankruptcy. Of course, whether or not this is a good idea depends strongly on the facts of your specific case, so you should not do so unless an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a possible solution.
How Can a Oak Creek, Wisconsin Collections Attorney Help?
If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its effort to collect, you should probably call an Oak Creek, Wisconsin attorney, since such actions on the part of the creditor may actually give you a claim for damages against it.
If you are thinking about applying for bankruptcy, a seasoned lawyer in Wisconsin can help you with that process, too.