Back in Roman Times Debt Collection Was Really Tough

Congratulations. You've made it through the holiday season without over spending. With all the talk of banks failing and financial bail outs, you decided to get your house in order, to live within your means, and so far, so good.

Somehow you kept your gift-buying under control and resisted purchasing things you really didn't need. You explained the new deal to your children and they are still speaking to you. Best of all, when your January credit card statement arrives, you will be able to pay off the balance on this one. Things are looking good.

But wait, there is just one small problem. Prior to turning this new corner on financial restraint, there lurks a credit card with a fairly hefty balance that you just cannot pay. To top it all off, the interest that is accumulating would eat into any payment you did make, assuming you could.

So it's a good news, bad news scenario. The good news is that you've made a commitment to reform, and the bad news is that there is a remnant from the past that has popped up to bite you. Each time the phone rings, you jump. The collection agency has got your number.

The calls are coming at all hours, and the voice at the end of the line is getting nasty. You have heard the terms, "pre-litigation department" and that they will "investigate your assets and mark an involuntary recommendation on your file".

You have been accused of "refusing to pay" and threatened with a "lien being put on your house" and ultimately being "thrown in jail".
The truth is that you'd just like nothing better than to be able to pay, so that the calls will stop.

In days gone by in the British legal system, a person who could not pay a debt would be declared bankrupt and imprisoned. Statutes in 1571, 1604, and 1623 stated that anyone who aided bankrupts would be punished. In some cases a person could be hung, however imprisonment was far more common.

Prior to this, Greeks and Romans had a neat solution for the poor soul who could not come up with the cash. They simply condemned the debtor to slavery and recouped the debt by eking out hard labor.

So as bad as you are feeling, make a breath and realize that things are a lot better today. In fact there is a law in the United States designed to stop abusive and unfair collection practices.

It's called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, FDCPA for short, and it exists to make illegal some of the more common tactics used by debt collectors. The things you are experiencing could very well be turned around and used against the collection agency that is hounding you.

So, be proactive, and contact a fair debt attorney. But before you do, it's a good idea to document the phone call tactics on paper. Do not exaggerate, just put down the facts. An experienced debt relief lawyer may find that you are entitled to monetary compensation for your suffering.

Aren't you relieved that the stigma that used to revolve around debt way back in Greek and Roman times has been lifted. You are not a bad person simply because you cannot pay a bill. Slavery or imprisonment does not await you, only the helping hand of the FDCPA.

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