If you face a substantial amount of debt, you are not alone. Of course, just because others are in similar situations, you may not feel very comforted by the thought because you know that you hold the responsibility for handling your outstanding balances.
You may also find little comfort in the fact that creditors are calling in attempts to collect on the debt you owe. In fact, their calls may only bring about stress and anxiety for you. What you may want to remember is that you still have rights when it comes to how creditors handle your debt and interact with you.
Check the legitimacy
When you receive numerous calls about debt collection, you may not think much about who is calling or what they want. However, knowing who you are talking to is important. In some cases, unscrupulous parties may attempt to scam you by claiming that you owe a debt that you do not. If your financial situation already has you overwhelmed, you may not even stop to check the legitimacy of their claims.
You have a right to receive a written notice regarding the debt that you owe. The notice should include the amount of debt, the name of the creditor and how the debt will be handled in the event that you do or do not dispute the claim. If a caller refuses to acknowledge your right to a written notice, refuses to name the creditor or demands an immediate payment, it may not be a legitimate claim.
Harassment is not allowed
Even if you owe a substantial amount of debt, creditors cannot harass you in attempts to collect. Harassment could include calling at unreasonable hours, like before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., yelling or using obscene language, calling back-to-back, or calling and hanging up. Of course, it is important to remember that it is not necessarily harassment if a debt collector is impolite.
Trying to understand your rights and keeping a handle on your financial affairs while creditors are calling is overwhelming. If you are in this type of predicament, you may want to reach out for help. A Kentucky bankruptcy attorney could provide you with information that may allow you to have a clearer picture regarding your options for debt relief and how to stop creditor calls.