What's "Fair" In Collection Practices?

Yes "Fair", how about that! There is something called The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). It was passed to protect customers from being shaken down by collection companies.

As a result of the FDCPA collection agencies are not allowed to:
– Phone your home so often as to harass you.
– They cannot call before 8 A.M. or after 9 P.M.
– They cannot threaten you or use obscene language.
– They cannot call you directly if they know you are being represented by an attorney,
and they cannot call you at work if they know your employer prohibits such calls.
– They cannot call your friends, your neighbors, or the people you work with and reveal
your financial situation.

If they overstep any of these boundaries you can say "You are acting in defiance of the FDCPA
(Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) which is against the law."

Chop Up Your Credit Cards With Your Rachel Ray Chef Knife

Right now the best thing to do is chop up all your credit cards with your Rachel Ray chef knife and put them in the garbage until you have paid them all off. The credit card companies are jacking the interest rates on late payers sometimes to the tune of 32%. Nothing is worth adding 32% interest on top of the price, especially not these
days. If you want to keep one card put it in the freezer to defrost when you have
paid off all your cards. Then only use it for emergencies.