Can I be sued for a debt after the statute of limitations has expired?

In North Carolina, the statute of limitations on debt collection is three years for most types of consumer debts, meaning creditors have three years to bring lawsuits against consumers for unpaid debts. Once the three years has expired, the creditor is no longer able to sue you for that debt. However, there is an important caveat to this law: if you acknowledge the debt or make a payment on the debt at any time during the three year period, the statute of limitations clock can start over, giving the creditor another three years to bring a lawsuit against you. Therefore, if the statute of limitations has expired and you have not acknowledged the debt or made any payments on it, it is highly unlikely that you will be sued for it. That said, debt collectors may still attempt to collect on the debt, even after the statute of limitations has expired. If this happens, you may be protected by North Carolina’s Consumer Debt Defense Law, which prohibits debt collectors from attempting to collect on expired debts, as well as from making threats of legal action or making false or misleading statements to consumers about such debts. If you believe that a debt collector is attempting to collect on an expired debt, you may file a complaint with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The Office will investigate the matter and take appropriate action. Additionally, you may be entitled to sue the debt collector for damages, as long as a lawsuit is filed within two years of the violation.

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Can I be sued for a debt after the statute of limitations has expired?

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