Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), companies are now required to obtain “prior express written consent” before they can make telemarketing calls using an automated dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice to a wireless number or before calling a residential line by using a prerecorded voice.

When a loved one dies it can be difficult to cope, not only with the death but also with the added pressure of creditors who call to collect debts. You may question whether the debt collector can collect on the debt from family members. The answer to that question depends on several factors. Our experienced Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) attorneys at the Consumer Law Center explain these various factors.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) generally prohibits most unsolicited advertisements sent by fax. In a recent case, faxes sent from an attorney that alerted the recipients to the availability of his services, even though they were styled as newsletters, were considered unsolicited advertisements under the TCPA by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Negative information on your credit report can seriously affect you financially. For example, it can make it difficult to obtain loans. During negotiations with a collection agency over the payment of a debt, you should consider making the removal of negative credit information on your report part of the negotiations.