What happens if I cannot afford to pay a debt collector?
If you are in Washington and you cannot afford to pay a debt collector, you may be able to invoke the protections of the Collection Defense Law. This law was written to protect people from being harassed by debt collectors. Under the law, debt collectors are banned from using unfair and deceptive tactics to collect on a debt. This includes calling at inconvenient times, using threatening language, and trying to collect more money than you owe. The law also requires debt collectors to provide you with written information about the debt, including how much you owe, to whom the debt is owed, and when it is due. This allows you to make an informed decision about how to handle the debt. If you cannot afford to pay the debt, the Collection Defense Law gives you the right to request a repayment plan. This can help you to gradually manage your payments and make it easier to pay back the debt. You can also dispute the debt with the debt collector if you believe it is not accurate or is past the set statute of limitations. In addition, the law also provides protections from unfair legal action, such as being sued or having your wages garnished without being given information about the debt and given an opportunity to dispute it. The Collection Defense Law helps give consumers in Washington the ability to protect themselves against unfair debt collection practices.
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