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Few things are more unsettling/frustrating than being pursued for a debt you know you didn’t create. You review the balance. You scan your memory. And nothing adds up. Still, the collector insists the debt is yours.
Every year, thousands of consumers are pursued for debts they do not owe. In many cases, the problem isn’t the consumer. It’s bad data, sloppy record-keeping, or outright identity theft.
Wrongful debt collection happens for several common reasons. Sometimes, it’s identity theft. A scammer/thief opens an account or incurs charges using your personal information, and the resulting debt gets tied to your name. Other times, it’s not directly malicious but a case of mistaken identity: a shared name, a similar Social Security number, or a mixed credit file causes someone else’s debt to land on your report.
Clerical errors also play a role. Accounts are misapplied, balances are misstated, or payments are never properly credited. And increasingly, the issue involves debt buyers, which are companies that purchase large portfolios of old debt for pennies on the dollar and rely on incomplete or inaccurate records to pursue payment.
Many consumers assume that if a collector is calling or if a lawsuit has been filed, the debt must be valid. That assumption is exactly what collectors rely/prey on.
Debt buyers and collection agencies often operate at scale. They send thousands of letters and file mass lawsuits, knowing that many people won’t respond. If a consumer doesn’t push back, the collector may win by default judgment, not because the debt was proven, but because no one challenged it.
Wrongful debt defense focuses on cases where a consumer is being pursued for a debt they do not legally owe. A wrongful debt defense attorney demands proof, challenges faulty data, and forces collectors to meet their legal burden rather than relying on pressure or silence.
Not every debt issue requires legal intervention. Small, undisputed debts or situations where the consumer clearly owes the balance are not the focus here.
Wrongful debt defense becomes especially important when:
If you’re being chased for a debt you don’t recognize, don’t assume the system will sort it out on its own. Collectors count on confusion, fear, and inaction.
Wrongful debt defense exists to stop that process before it does real damage. If the debt isn’t yours, you have the right to challenge it and the right to demand that collectors prove their case.
