Is debt getting you down because of harassment from creditors and unfair debt collection practices? You can stop those annoying phone calls and have peace of mind with these tips that will keep you legal and keep the creditors away.

The most important thing to know is that most of these phone calls are not anything to get upset about. These companies train people to go after your emotions and then try to use it against you when they already know that they have pushed your limit. Some of their activity can be illegal. There are also scams that act as creditors. It is important that you know the difference. You already know what you owe and who you owe. Know that it is up to you to take control.

The best thing to do is be as nice as you can. Don’t be cocky. Don’t tell them that you’ll get your lawyer on the phone or deny that you are the person that they are calling. Although getting assistance from a lawyer is a good idea because you can possibly get rid of these debts or even better pay them back and avoid bad credit.

Do tell them that you will try to pay them with a payment plan. If you are getting calls from credit card companies, they have to accept any payment you offer even if it’s five dollars.

All creditors have agents that HAVE to work with you. School loans and government agencies are the easiest to deal with. They have all kinds of programs that will help you, including forgiveness loans, which can allow you to go as low as a five dollar a month payment. They can put your loan in forbearance which allows for putting off payment due to a hardship. Some programs offer zero payments for years. Even if you just call them back once, they will help you figure out what to do. They just want to hear from you and that you care about paying them back even if you don’t have the money.

Illegal Practices By Creditors include

• Contacting friends, families, and neighbors to discuss your debt. They are allowed to call to find you, but they can not mention your debt.
• Call you late at night or early in the morning. They can call during business hours.
• Calling you repeatedly daily or weekly.
• Using deception by not telling you who is calling.
• Use threats of a wage garnishment, or any financial benefits that you are receiving due to hard times.
• Insulting you or using derogatory terms.
• Using intimidation tactics. {If any creditor is in violation of these terms, there is a chance that you could sue them.}

Call an attorney immediately if creditors are using any of these illegal means to collect from you and to stop creditors harassment. If you live in the Everett Washington area, be sure to call  Skelton Law Firms for assistance with just a phone call that can end the nightmare of debt collector harassment at (360) 822 7224