What can I do about a debt collector that has contacted people not associated with the debt and who has given out information regarding it?
Question Details:I cosigned on a student loan for my daughter a couple of years ago. I have had alot of financial problems of late and have been consistently paying $100 per month. However, Citibank has turned the debt over for collection. I received calls during the week from the collector and have spoken to their representative. This morning I received a call from someone in Florida ( a friend of my ex-husband's) who has received a letter from this yahoo with all the details on it. I thought this was against the law. I have never resided there, nor has my daughter. These people are even getting calls.
Debt Collectors are allowed to contact your friends and family members if they do not know how to contact you. However, when they contact them, they are only allowed to attempt to acquire your location information. If they already know how to contact you, or if they are disclosing to these people that you owe a debt, the debt collectors have violated federal law. You likely are entitled to file a lawsuit against the agency and force the debt collectors to pay for your legal fees in bringing the suit.
Here's a link to a site that will further explain your rights/remedies with respect to debt collection practices: http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs27-debtcoll.htm
At this point, you may want to consult with an attorney in your area as to all of this.
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