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American Express; American Express – Debt Collection Debt Collector Relief

April 22, 2024

American Express Debt Collection: Your Guide to Fighting Back

You’re being called by a debt collector from American Express, what does that mean for you? It means that you should deal with this matter now. It can be intimidating, but, better to meet this challenge head first than stick your head in the sand and hope for the best. One way to do that, you need to answer the suit. To get help with this go to Solosuit.com.After familiarizing yourself with valuable information located here, you’ll find that SoloSuit can guide you through the process of responding to lawsuits from debt collectors like American Express. It’s simple. Every single client deserves honesty and white glove service. Every single client should know what he, or she, potentially faces if they fail to properly respond to a debt collection lawsuit.

Understanding American Express’s Debt Collection Tactics

Incorporated in the state of New York, American Express Company has been in business for well over 170 years. They are a financial institution in this country. While it may seem like you are David against this financial Goliath, you must not let this deter you from the necessary work to stand up for your consumer rights if you are being contacted by an American Express debt collector.It is imperative to understand that if American Express is making collection attempts regarding the balance you may owe them, it generally means they are prepared to do whatever they deem necessary to collect any unpaid balances. Become a knowledgeable consumer. One of the best ways to do this is to acquire as much information as you can on American Express.Don’t be intimidated by debt collectors. Respond with SoloSuit.Conventional wisdom says that most people would say they are very familiar with American Express. Though most are not currently or ever have been contacted by a debt collector from American Express. If this is the particular situation you find yourself in, there can be actions you can take that would be beneficial to you and your situation. The goal here is to put yourself in the best possible position to resolve the debt amicably.A consumer who is being contacted by an American Express debt collector needs to gather as much information on the company as possible. It is never easy being on the receiving end of a collection call. An American Express debt collector can be intimidating on the phone. That is a natural response, but, the anxiety or fear that seeing the American Express phone number come up on your phone should not prevent you from taking the necessary actions.Once the AMEX debt collector begins his or her actions, they have an advantage over any consumer. They are not anxious about making the phone call or sending the letter. They are not fearful of what can happen in the future. They are intent on resolving the unpaid balance. Deciding to deal with an American Express debt collector is step one. After arming yourself with information about the company and perhaps its methodologies, you have put yourself in a better situation to resolve the account.If you prevent their collection efforts from escalating, that is to your advantage. If a resolution is unable to be achieved, it could lead American Express to deciding to file suit. Then, in addition to the balance owed, they can add court costs, attorney fees, and lost interest to the suit, and the balance becomes unrecognizable.Once you decide to meet this head-on, you can begin to take control of how the collection moves forward. Isn’t it better than you have a say in what transpires than be at the mercy of a faceless and nameless bill collector? If you fail to take any action and simply ignore their attempts to contact you, the most likely outcome is that American Express will escalate this to a lawsuit.Once this decision is reached by American Express the impact that you, as the consumer, can have is minimal if not non-existent. If they decide to file suit, this can lead American Express to take legal action which may allow them to attempt to secure a judgment against you. If that happens, they may be able to take some of the following actions against you to satisfy the judgment:

  • Garnish your wages
  • Levy your bank accounts
  • Place liens on your property

Do not let this happen to you. Take action now and deal with the American Express debt collector. Protect your property. Respond with SoloSuit and win in court.

Know Your Rights: Debt Collection Laws

So, what rights do you actually have when dealing with aggressive debt collectors like American Express? Quite a few, thanks to laws like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) which governs how third-party debt collectors can operate.Under the FDCPA, debt collectors cannot harass or abuse you. This means they can‘t use profane language, threaten violence, publish lists of consumers who refuse to pay debts, or repeatedly use the phone to annoy you. They also can’t lie about the amount you owe, falsely claim to be attorneys or government representatives, or misrepresent the consequences of not paying a debt like threatening arrest or seizure of property if those actions are not really allowed.The FDCPA also gives you the right to request validation of the debt they are trying to collect. Within five days of first contacting you, the debt collector must send a written notice with the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor, and statements about your rights to dispute the debt. If you send a written request for validation within 30 days of receiving this notice, the debt collector must provide verification of the debt before trying to collect further.You also have the right under the FDCPA to demand that a debt collector stop contacting you, with a few exceptions like letting you know specific actions will be taken. Just send a letter stating you want all communications to cease. The collector can then only contact you to confirm there will be no further contact or to let you know specific actions like filing a lawsuit will be taken.Many states also have laws regulating debt collection, some of which may provide even more protection than the FDCPA. For example, the California Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits debt collectors from contacting you before 8am or after 9pm, threatening to take actions they legally cannot take, or using deceptive language when attempting to collect.So in summary, don‘t let debt collectors bully you into paying debts you may not even owe or take illegal actions against you. Understand your rights and be prepared to exercise them firmly but politely.

Lawyers You Can Trust

Todd Spodek

Founding Partner

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RALPH P. FRANCHO, JR

Associate

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JEREMY FEIGENBAUM

Associate Attorney

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ELIZABETH GARVEY

Associate

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CLAIRE BANKS

Associate

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RAJESH BARUA

Of-Counsel

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CHAD LEWIN

Of-Counsel

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