Every day, I hear stories of debt collectors harassing consumers. In most cases, the caller is polite enough, but they call 5-10 times a day. (How many times do these folks have to be told, “I don’t have the money to pay you right now?”) In a few cases, the caller is rude or threatening. (Clients have told me they’ve been called “deadbeats” and threatened with criminal prosecution for not making payments.)

But this is as bad as I’ve seen it. The consumer who was unable to pay was subjected to racial slurs, sexually explicit comments, and a suggestion to commit suicide.

(CAUTION: The following link will take you to an article with some adult language. Do not click if such language offends you.) CLICK HERE to read the full story.

Federal laws prohibit debt collectors from harassing or threatening debtors. However, fighting back can be difficult. Many people are intimidated by the caller, others feel they deserve the treatment because they are unable to pay their bills. And those that do choose to fight fail to gather any proof of the offense.

If you feel you’ve been victimized by a debt collector violating the FDCPA, write down the phone number of the offending caller and record any calls you receive from that number. Let the caller know that you are recording the call. If that doesn’t put an end to the harassment, contact a local consumer rights attorney. A good place to start is the NACBA Attorney Finder, available HERE.

If you cannot afford to pay all your bills, you’re already struggling. You don’t deserve to have insults and threats thrown at you by an anonymous bully.