Since November 30, 2021, new regulations have been added to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), providing additional support for people experiencing debt collection harassment. Living with debt is difficult enough, and the reasons are far more nuanced than many debt collectors care to acknowledge. Whether you’re living through financial insecurity because of the…
Your healthcare needs should be your first priority, not weighing whether or not you can afford medical expenses. You’ve probably experienced your fair share of surprise “out-of-network” costs over your lifetime. Thankfully, changes are finally being made to protect vulnerable people from experiencing unauthorized bills from “out-of-network” providers. Here’s everything you need to know about…
Eviction filing companies use technology, and the lax regulation of their business, to mass-produce eviction cases against tenants in Maryland and elsewhere. They prefer to call themselves “delinquency management” businesses. If you think that sounds like a fancy title for a debt collector, you’d be right. These companies are not attorneys, yet they draft court…
As we continue to live through the evolving challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, organized crime rings have taken advantage of vulnerable people. Many people are filing for unemployment across the country, but unbeknownst to them, filing for unemployment may leave them susceptible to identity theft. For individuals already struggling with financial insecurity, the consequences of…
While people are just trying to make ends meet amid a global pandemic, the last thing they need is unlawful debt collectors harassing them for money. If you’ve been experiencing debt collection harassment, we want to help, and here’s how to stop debt harassment in its tracks. Debt Collection Harassment Debt collection harassment refers to…
Your credit report contains important information about your financial history and ultimately paints a picture of your financial habits, both good and bad. Unfortunately, this makes it vulnerable to potential errors that can negatively affect you. A poor or inaccurate credit report can make it difficult to borrow money, qualify for a loan, get a…
Yes, debt collectors can now resort to social media. According to the Washington Post, recent decisions related to debt have permitted collection agencies to use social media for overdue payments. This recent development may indicate that millions of people could be surprised by debt collectors sending them friend requests, emails, direct messages, and text messages…
Online identity theft refers to the act of stealing personal information to perform fraudulent activities. The most common of these occurs when someone makes fraudulent purchases under your name. When this happens, debt builds up, and debt collectors call you regarding purchases you never made; this can severely damage your credit rating. Identity theft is…
What does “dismissal with or without prejudice” really mean? To ordinary people, hearing anything “with prejudice” may sound vaguely bad – after all, no one likes to be called “prejudiced.” But the expression has a special legal meaning. In plain language, a dismissal “with prejudice” means that the case’s outcome is final, and the same…
Robocalls Robocalls are autodialed or prerecorded messages made to your phone. If you answer the phone to a recorded message instead of a real person, it’s a robocall. Often made by telemarketers, they’re usually done without permission and interrupt your day. While robocalls can seem like a minor annoyance at times, they can also be…