How many times a day can a bill collector call you before it is considered harrassement?
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How many times a day can a bill collector call you before it is considered harrassement?
I am financing a car and have a 10 day grace period from the date my payment is due. However, after being late by only 1 day they start calling me several times a day and start calling my family and friends on a daily basis. Not only does the so called bank that I’m financing from call me several times a day, so does the dealership and this is within my 10 day grace period. Is this harassment?
Asked on May 18, 2012 under Bankruptcy Law, Florida
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
It is not harassment if the parties calling your are calling on behalf of amounts or debts owed directly to them--the law does not put nearly as many limitationss on a person's or company's ability to collect his/her/its own debt as it puts on third-party bill collectors or collections agencies (people or businesses collecting another's debt). If these were third party bill collectors, they would limited under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act in terms of who they could call, and they also could not call you after you requested they cease doing so (though they could still take legal action if you were in default). However again, people or businesses collecting their own debt can call you repeatedly and you cannot make them cease calling.
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