Will Settling My Debt Prevent Texts and Emails from Debt Collectors?

Debtors in Georgia who have past due debt often deal with frequent contact from debt collectors. Calls from debt collectors have been common for decades. Yet in more recent years, debt collectors have begun using other forms of electronic communication to make contact. For example, debtors now often receive text messages and emails from debt collectors who are seeking to recover money owed. On top of phone calls from debt collectors, emails and text messages can feel overwhelming. If you are in this situation, it is important to know that debt settlement is one way to end this contact from debt collectors. Indeed, settling your debt can prevent further texts, emails, and phone calls from debt collectors in Georgia. Our Georgia debt settlement lawyer can tell you more.

Federal Law Limits Debt Collectors’ Ability to Contact You 

First, it is important to know that federal law limits the frequency and timing and debt collector contact even if you do not settle your debt. Texts and emails are permitted, but debt collectors cannot harass you via text or email. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), debt collectors cannot communicate with you at unusual times. That typically means before 8:00 a.m. and after 9:00 p.m. at night. The FDCPA also says that a debt collector cannot make repeated contact “with the intent to annoy, abuse, or harass you.” Generally speaking, contacting you more than seven times in a seven-day period or within a week after making contact with you about the debt may be considered harassment.

Debt Settlement Will Erase the Debt You Owe, and Debt Collectors Should Stop Texting and Emailing 

While the FDCPA limits the frequency of debt collection communications, even the amount of communication that is permitted can feel stressful and can induce anxiety. If you decide to work with a debt settlement attorney to negotiate a debt settlement agreement, you will no longer owe any of that debt. Accordingly, you will stop receiving communications from the debt collector since you will not owe the debt.

If a debt collector does continue to make contact through text, email, phone, or other means after your debt has been settled, you may be able to take legal action. Once a debt is settled, you will not be liable for it any longer. Your lawyer can answer any additional questions you have and can help you to ensure that debt collection contacts ceases once you have settled your debt.

Contact Our Georgia Debt Settlement Lawyers 

If you are struggling with debt and fielding regular texts, emails, and calls from debt collectors that are adding to your stress and anxiety, you should consider the possibility of debt settlement. For Georgia debtors who are in a position to pay a portion of the debt they owe, it may be possible to have the remaining debt forgiven by the collector through a negotiated debt settlement agreement. One of the experienced Lilburn debt settlement attorneys at Konn Law Firm LLC can discuss debt settlement possibilities with you today. Contact us today for more information about how we can assist you.

Sources:

ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/fair-debt-collection-practices-act-text

consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/when-and-how-often-can-a-debt-collector-call-me-on-the-phone-en-2110/