What is the purpose of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)?

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law enacted to protect consumers from unfair and abusive debt collection practices. The FDCPA applies to debt collectors that are attempting to collect on personal, family, or household debts, and it outlines rules that debt collectors must follow in order to protect consumer rights. The purpose of the FDCPA is to provide clear guidance to debt collectors, to ensure they behave ethically and lawfully when collecting debts from consumers. Under the FDCPA, debt collection agencies must treat consumers with respect, and may not use harassing or unfair tactics while attempting to collect a debt. This includes making any false or misleading statements, using abusive language, calling a consumer numerous times a day, or threatening to take action they are not legally allowed to take. Overall, the purpose of the FDCPA is to protect consumers from the unfair and sometimes illegal debt collection practices that have become common in the industry. It serves as a reminder to debt collectors that consumers have rights and they must be respected. In Delaware, if a debt collector has violated the FDCPA, there are state laws that allow the consumer to sue the debt collector for damages.

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