What is Consumer Law?
Consumer law is the group of laws that protect the public at large from unfair and predatory business practices or abuses pertaining to debt collection. Consumer laws protect the public from unscrupulous ways of doing business.
At Amador and Cuellar, we are consumer lawyers and advocates that help our clients fight debt, consumer fraud, and ultimately take control of their financial lives.
Real-Life Examples of Consumer Laws and Abuses
Do you have calls coming to your cell phone throughout the day? Are they coming from random numbers appearing to be from your area code? Are these creditors calling you multiple times per day—yet there’s nothing you can do to resolve the situation at the present time?
Owing a debt should not subject you to the fear of answering your own phone.
Have you been a victim of consumer fraud or misrepresentation? Predatory lending? What about Automobile Fraud? Wrongful repossession? Or billing errors?
As consumer law attorneys, we not only represent individuals whose rights have been violated by debt collectors using unfair, abusive, or illegal tactics; we also represent consumers who have been cheated or misled in consumer purchases.
How Am I Protected?
We enforce consumer laws, such as the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act (FDCPA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FDCPA and FCRA are federal laws that regulate the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer information including consumer credit information. These laws—together with many state laws and regulations—comprise the basis of consumer credit rights in the United States.
Furthermore, The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) places limits on unsolicited pre-recorded telemarketing to your home. It also prohibits all auto-dialed or pre-recorded calls or text messages to your cell phone.
Damages for Violations of the TCPA could be up to $500 per each violation of the Do Not Call Registry,*** LINK. up to $500 per phone call that violates the TCPA, and up to $1,500 per phone call (if you can show that the TCPA was violated knowingly and willfully).
For example: you advise a debt creditor several times to stop calling you because the debt was paid and yet they continued to call. This may be a willful violation.
If you have been a victim of fraud, misrepresentation, predatory lending, or abuses with automobile purchases and repossessions, there are federal and state laws that protect consumers.
In most states, there is what is known as, UDTP, or the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act. These laws protect consumers from fraud, misrepresentation, and deception in purchases.
If you’ve never heard of these consumer protection laws—you’re not alone.
Collection agencies, big banks, and corporations are aware of the lack of public knowledge on these rules and regulations so they often pounce on the opportunity to break the laws.
Ms. Cuellar and Ms. Amador not only pride themselves in enforcing these laws but also in educating the public on their rights as consumers.
How We Can Help
If you’ve been a victim of harassment or consumer fraud—for any of the aforementioned reasons—give us a call today and we’d be happy to help. Once you begin working with an attorney to resolve these issues, the company is required by law to stop contacting you and only communicate directly through your attorney.
When you have a person advocating for you, from day one, you are sure to find relief.