Should I Sue an Abusive Debt Collector?

Sometimes debt collectors get out of control with phone calls to your home or office, and even in some instances, calls to your relatives and other people who you live with or have lived with in the past.

There is a fine line between what consumers may consider abusive and what the law considers abusive. There is a time and there are certain circumstances that would make it appropriate to sue a collector, but you need to know exactly what circumstances these are so you don't waste valuable time.

First of all, you have to have documented proof that a collector has broken the law. For example, did they call you after 9PM? Did they call you repeatedly after 9PM? Was the person or people you interacted with from the collector rude or use harsh or profane language? If they did, and especially if they did so repeatedly and you can prove it, then suing a debt collector might be the right thing to do.

Unfortunately, if you just feel inconvenienced by debt collectors and feel it isn't fair that they are contacting you, you won't have grounds to sue. That said, if you can prove your case in court that a debt collector has harassed you or treated you in a manner outside of what is considered appropriate, you may be entitled to certain monetary losses, such as those associated with a psychologist, or money you paid out to change your phone number in an attempt to discontinue excessive or abusive collector phone calls.