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There is no guaranteed method to completely eliminate all collection calls, particularly calls from original creditors. However, there are many actions that we perform on your behalf, and steps that you can utilize, to minimize the annoyance of creditor harassment. Scroll down to the Creditor Harassment section below to learn more.
An important part of your program are the educational materials designed to help you get out of debt, to remain out of debt and to enjoy a financially healthy future after your debts are resolved. The materials below (either click the "Education Materials" link or scroll down) are available to you at no charge. Please take advantage of these offerings while you are enrolled in Freedom's Debt Resolution Program.
Creditor Harassment
Unfortunately, no matter how much effort Freedom exerts on your behalf, there will always be some collectors who are willing to break the law in order to collect a debt, particularly if they think that you are not aware of your rights. You must be aware that creditors, and particularly debt collectors, will say almost anything to get you to speak to them and make a payment (afterall, they earn a commission to get you to pay them).
The first step in protecting yourself from harassing calls is to keep track of all the calls you receive from your creditors. Freedom Debt Relief provides call logs, which can be downloaded by clicking on this link.
Freedom Debt Relief will fax a "Cease & Desist" letter to collectors that are harassing you, after we receive your Welcome Package. In instances where a third-party collection agency or collection attorney practice is involved, these creditors are bound by Federal Law (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act or “FDCPA”) to obey this letter. In many states, original creditors are also bound by the FDCPA. However, you may still receive an occasional phone call or mailing from your creditors or collection agents. If we have already sent a Cease & Desist on your behalf and you continue to receive phone calls, please let us know. It may take a couple of them being sent before the calls cease.
Client Harassment Log
As you screen your telephone calls, you may encounter a message from an abusive creditor that threatens or upsets you. We have created the “Client Harassment Log” so you can relay these situations in detail, so that Freedom Debt Relief can optimally service you on your Debt Resolution Program. For example, if a creditor tells you they will send a sheriff to lock you up; you need to document this incident on the harassment log and fax, or mail, the log to FDR. Please see the section below on “Debt Collectors Rights” to see if your creditor has violated the FDCPA. Documenting every detail of the phone call could be valuable evidence in showing that the creditor has violated the FDCPA. FDR will review your harassment log & let you know if you need to file a complaint. Please click on this link to download your form.
Debt Collectors Rights
A debt collector can:
- Contact you between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone .
- Call you at work, unless you specifically tell the collector that your employer prohibits such calls.
- Contact you by mail, but there can be no visible reference to the debt on the outside of the envelope or mailing.
- Add changes allowed by law to your original contract agreement with the creditor.
- Report your account to a qualified credit reporting agency.
- Contact people who are not involved with your debt in order to obtain information about you, but they cannot mention the debt or their intentions.
A debt collector cannot:
- Threaten to send the sheriff to “lock you up.”
- Use obscene language.
- Make false statements about his or her identity.
- Repeatedly use the telephone to harass or annoy you.
- Imply that he or she is an attorney, if this is not accurate.
- Send you anything that appears to be a government document.
- Take or threaten to take your property without legal process.
- Imply that you have committed a crime.
Unfortunately, debt collectors violate the FDCPA everyday. If you feel that you have been the victim of debt collection harassment, you should contact Freedom Debt Relief by emailing or calling customer service at: 1-800-655-6303. For more information on the FDCPA go to the official government website at: www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/fdcpact.htm
If you are being called at work:
If you get any phone calls at your job, tell the creditor, “I am not allowed to get personal calls at work. You are jeopardizing my employment. If you call again, I will file a complaint with the attorney general and the FTC.” The oral request is sufficient for them not to call you, but if you do not follow up with a written request to the creditor they can call you again. Make sure you document the call in your creditor call log & fill out the Work Harassment Form (by clicking this link) and fax or email the form to us at Freedom Debt Relief.
Educational Materials And Services
An important part of your program are the educational materials designed to help you get out of debt, to remain out of debt and to enjoy a financially healthy future. The following materials are available to you at no charge. Please take advantage of these offerings.
This course provides guidance on reclaiming the money currently going out your door to make debt payments and putting it to better use: for you! The average family following this program can, by investing in their debt, pay off all of their consumer debt in just one to three years, their mortgage in another four to five years, and save over $100,000 in interest along the way. A must for anyone wanting to achieve true financial freedom. This is available as a download or can be mailed by calling 1 800 544 7211 or emailing at
info@freedomdebtrelief.com .
These spend Smart® materials will help you find the "extra" money needed to get ahead. Whether you make $12,000 or $120,000, you can improve your financial situation without getting a raise. $pend $mart® is the answer! This is available as a download or can be mailed by calling 1 800 544 7211 or emailing at
info@freedomdebtrelief.com .
This text will teach you how to buy a home with little or no money down. There are many programs out there to accomplish this; you just need to know how to find them. This quick and easy manual will show you how to get started. This is available as a download.
The Road to Financial Freedom
Part One, Invest in Your Debt…The Basics, is the first in a series of Educational Materials designed to help people participating in a debt settlement program rid themselves of burdensome debt. This text will introduce you to the basic philosophy of Invest in Your Debt, along with some specific aspects of the program that you can apply to your current situation.
Part Two, Invest in Your Debt…Spend Smart is the second in a series of Educational Materials designed to help people participating in a debt settlement program rid themselves of burdensome debt. This text will introduce you to ideas on reducing your monthly spending; to coming up with "extra money" in your budget, without diminishing your current lifestyle.
Part Three, Understanding the Trap, is the third in a series of Educational Materials designed to help people participating in a debt settlement program rid themselves of burdensome debt. This text will help prevent you from falling into the most common financial trap ever to have sprung upon an unsuspecting victim - the credit card - by helping you to understand why you do what you do, and how to change what you do. So here we go with Credit Cards and The Psychology of Buying.
Part Four, Spend Smart Basics is the fourth in a series of Educational Materials designed to help people participating in a debt settlement program rid themselves of burdensome debt. This text will introduce you to the basic philosophy of Spend Smart, along with some specific aspects of the program that you can apply to your current situation.
Compare the prices and coverage of different insurance policies that meet your specific needs. Learn how much coverage will provide financial security for your loved ones when you're gone. Does that unpaid bill from a department store purchase a couple of months ago affect how much you pay for insurance? Yes it does - and it may even affect whether you can get insurance at all, at least from some companies. This is available as a download.
The first place many people start to get into financial trouble is through their checkbook. Although checks can run the color and design gamut from basic blue with formal script to hot pink with Disney cartoon images, the "how-to's" of maintaining a checking account are universal. Here are some basic steps to help you keep an error-free register. This is available as a download.
Planning your financial future requires that you start building a secure foundation under your financial house today. However, many individuals begin planning and investing for their future before they have a clear idea of their present situation. One of the best ways to begin building for the future is to create a monthly budget. Your monthly budget is the first step in designing your overall investment strategy. This is available as a download.
There are easy ways for young adults to manage their money. Spending and saving wisely now will help you with bigger purchases later, such as a new car or continued education. Advertisements and magazines are filled with temptations to spend all you have at once. Stop and think about how much you can afford to spend now and how much you want to spend later. This is available as a download.
If you're divorced or separated (or are thinking about it), your next moves have to be smart. Here are some suggestions that can help you make the right credit-related decisions for your unique situation. Whether you're starting out on your own and need to establish credit, moving to or buying a new home, or even if you are now the primary bill payer, it's critical for you to be familiar with the information on your credit report. This is available as a download.
With the increasing number of couples getting married, this is an excellent time to review the financial aspects of a new marriage. While most soon-to-be newlyweds are concentrating on the wedding night, it is not uncommon to find that most couples have not discussed the financial stuff. There are simple steps every newly married couple can use to build a successful financial future. This is available as a download.
The spending habits of kids are being watched by some of the world's largest corporations. Why is this so? Two reasons exist for this intense interest. First, the kids of today will be the consumers of tomorrow. Secondly, this group of the population has the largest amount of disposable income. As the economy continues its strong growth rate and incomes continue to rise parents are giving their children more money to spend. This is available as a download.
Spending patterns of older households differ not only by income, but according to work status. Older workers allocate more to retirement, pension, and Social Security funds, while the nonworking elderly spend more on food prepared at home and health care. Do you have enough retirement income and savings to provide for your needs? Should steps be taken to help stretch your assets over your life expectancies? What if you eventually need nursing home care? Getting familiar with important information now will be much easier than trying to find this information if you become physically or mentally impaired. This is available as a download.
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