When a Pennsylvania consumer is behind on credit card payments, the company will try and collect payment. It may charge late fees, send letters or call the cardholder in an attempt to get even a minimum payment on the amount owed. After a certain amount of time without payment, the company may send any outstanding credit card debt to a collections agency, which is completely dedicated to collecting past-due debt.
Learning that a debt has been sent to collections can be embarrassing for a consumer. He or she may be unable to pay because of various uncontrollable factors, but interest continues to accumulate and balances continue to grow. No matter how much a cardholder owes or how far behind he or she is, there are strict limits regarding how collections agencies can deal with people.
For example, a collections agent cannot use foul language while trying to get payment. These agents cannot misrepresent themselves, threaten arrest, harass or do other things that may be considered threatening. They can call, but they cannot call to an extent that it becomes harassment. Doing these things and using other inappropriate methods of debt collection are violations of certain laws.
Credit card debt can be overwhelming for a Pennsylvania cardholder who is already struggling with difficult financial circumstances. If a debt is sent to collections, there are a few things the individual can do to regain control. One of these options is filing for consumer bankruptcy, and seeking an assessment of the case can help a consumer understand if this is the best way to deal with unmanageable credit card debt.