"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 Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, there are countless laws which carefully limit the practices that collections agencies can engage in.

What if I Am Owed Money in Whitefish Bay, 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.

Several practices that collectors cannot engage in include the use of abusive language, contacting third parties about the debt, and threatened or actual violence.

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 Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. You should make sure that any agency you hire is trustworthy, and has not been cited for violations of the rules governing collections.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin?

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 fastest and surest way to end collections calls. Of course, this is not the case for everyone. Whatever your situation, you should always behave courteously 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.

Luckily, you have some options in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. First of all, you should try to directly contact the creditor, and see if some revised payment plan can be worked out. If this doesn't work, you can ask the collectors to stop contacting you by phone, and they will typically be obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it may give you some time to collect yourself and prepare a legal defense. Once this happens, the collection agency can only contact you to inform you that it intends to sue you for the debt owed.

If you have retained a Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin attorney during this process, they might advise that the best course of action is to apply for bankruptcy. This is a major decision, however, and should not be made easily. You should only apply for bankruptcy if an attorney advises you that it is a viable possible option, given your individual circumstances.

How Can a Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin 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 Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin attorney, since you might truly have a claim for damages against the creditor.

Also, if you are considering bankruptcy as an option, a seasoned Wisconsin attorney can help guide you through the process.