NY Consumer Law Blog

Are Consumer Credit Counseling Services a Scam? Do They Actually Help Fix Your Credit?

debt repair company credit card consolidation service credit consultant consumer credit counseling service They go by many names. We had a client recently … [Read more...] about Are Consumer Credit Counseling Services a Scam? Do They Actually Help Fix Your Credit?

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions about New York State debt collection laws and debt collection harassment, including the type and amount of recovery … [Read more...] about FAQs About Debt Collector Harassment

The answer is, it depends. For the most part, debt collectors are allowed to call you at work. But if you tell them never to call you there again, … [Read more...] about Can a Debt Collector Call Me at Work?

If a debt collector is calling you at your work and only asking to speak with you, read “Can a Debt Collector Call Me at Work?”. If the debt collector is … [Read more...] about Can a Debt Collector Call My Employer?

In an attempt to protect your privacy, the FDCPA restricts the times and places a debt collector may attempt to contact you. Here is the relevant section … [Read more...] about What Time of Day Can a Debt Collector Call Me?

Medical debt can have a significant impact on a consumer’s credit history. Providers will often send unpaid medical debts to a collection agency, which, in … [Read more...] about Credit Reporting Agencies (Transunion, Equifax and Experian) and Medical Debt

All debt collectors, even medical debt collectors pursuing unpaid medical bills on behalf of hospitals, have to abide by certain federal and New York state … [Read more...] about Examples of FDCPA Violations by Debt Collectors Pursuing Unpaid Medical Bills

It’s a common thought that goes through the mind of uninsured or underinsured consumers with unpaid medical bills. What will happen if I need to go to the … [Read more...] about If I Have Unpaid Medical Bills, Can I Still Visit the Emergency Room if I Have a Medical Problem?

New York state has a medical debt protection law (N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 2807-k[9-a]) that prohibits discriminatory pricing by hospitals that receive state … [Read more...] about Is a New York Hospital Overcharging You on Your Hospital Bill?

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you have 30 days from the day you receive your first written communication from a debt collector to notify the … [Read more...] about Debt Verification Request – What Is It and Why Should I Send One to a Debt Collector?

What Is a Cease & Desist Letter? A Debt Collection Cease and Desist Letter is simply a letter addressed to a debt collector that states that you refuse to … [Read more...] about What is a “Cease and Desist Letter,” and Why Would I Want to Send One to a Debt Collector?

All too often a judgment debtor (a person against whom a judgment has been entered) finds out about the judgment when his or her bank account gets frozen, or … [Read more...] about My Bank Account is Being Restrained; What Can I Do?

Often someone’s first notice that they have been sued by a creditor comes when their employer informs them that their wages are being garnished because of … [Read more...] about My Wages Are Being Garnished; What Can I Do?

A monetary judgment issued by a court is an official decision that the defendant (you, the judgment debtor) owes an amount of money to the plaintiff (the … [Read more...] about How Do I Know if a Default Judgment Has Been Entered Against Me?

You come home from work, and find a summons and complaint taped to your door or in your mailbox. You glance at it and see a lot of intimidating language; … [Read more...] about The WORST Thing You Can Possibly Do Is Ignore Notice of a Lawsuit