Can a debt collector threaten to garnish my wages?

In Washington, a debt collector is prohibited from making threats when it comes to collecting a debt. It is illegal for debt collectors to threaten to garnish your wages without a court judgment. This means that the debt collector must have taken you to court and won a judgment against you in order to be able to garnish your wages. Garnishing wages is one of the strongest tactics available to debt collectors, as it is a legal way to take money directly out of a person’s salary. A debt collector cannot threaten to garnish your wages unless they have a court order granting them permission to do so. If a debt collector does make this threat, it is best to consult with a lawyer to see what your options are. In Washington, debt collectors must follow the state’s Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which states that debt collectors are not allowed to make false threats. They cannot threaten to garnish your wages unless they have the legal right to do so. If a debt collector does threaten to garnish your wages without a court order, you can report them to the state attorney general’s office or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

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