People Come First At Our Consumer Rights Law Firm
In a recent change to your credit report, the three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and Trans Union, have amended their reporting to include information regarding your credit card payment history. This change will affect more than 150 million credit card paying consumers. In addition to reporting whether you make timely payments each month, the information reported will detail…
When you have collection agencies contacting you, it is often a scary and overwhelming experience, forcing you to let your guard down and not think as clearly. Collection agencies use your emotions and vulnerability to force you into making payment on debts that may either be illegitimate or inflated. Collection agencies often provide you with little information about the debt…
Many consumers lives are dependent on their ability to maintain a strong credit standing. Those who have good credit are quick to share that information with you and those who don’t are usually ashamed. In fact, poor credit scores have launched an entire industry of credit repair companies who are willing to take money to improve your score. While credit…
Often times when a debt goes unpaid the original creditor will hire a collection agency to file suit against you. If successful, this suit will result in a judgment and then, likely garnishment. Garnishment is a means of involuntarily collecting money owed on a debt after obtaining a judgment against the debtor. The most common type of garnishment is wage…
With the use of social media on the rise, more and more businesses are turning to Facebook and other social media sites to aid in their advertising. The collection industry is no different. Recently a case was found in which a collector reached out to a debtor by sending a message through Facebook. Can a collector do this or is…
While I always try to write to you about the success stories of consumers that stood up for their rights, I also have to give the bad news on occasion. Thus, today’s blog is about a recent decision that came out badly for the consumer. In Zememckis v. Global Credit & Collection Corp. on appeal, the Seventh Circuit dismissed the…
As a consumer either gainfully employed, looking for new employment or entering the working world, you must be aware of the information contained in your credit report and other background reports about you because your current or potential employer can use it as part of your employment background check. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) employers are allowed to…
As we have turned over another calendar year, just about all of us have made out our list of new years resolutions for the coming year. In our attempts to make ourselves better we have set out our goals and hope we can take steps toward accomplishing these goals before we forget all about them, and make them anew next…
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) requires employers to adhere to the adverse action procedures when notifying applicants that they have been denied employment when using background checks to make hiring decisions. In simple language, what this means, is that if you apply for a job and are not hired based on information obtained in your background check, the employer…
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”) a collector has a duty to provide a clear and meaningful disclosure of its identity and purpose of the communication, whether verbal or in written. The collector must state its name and the company it works for, that the communication is an attempt to collect a debt and that any information obtained…