ROBOCALLS, BAD CREDIT, AND HARASSMENT — Oh My! How Consumer Rights Get Trampled in California
Consumer rights violations are more common in California than most residents realize
—and Los Angeles leads the nation in complaints. Debt collectors routinely violate federal law. Credit reporting agencies publish inaccurate information. Telemarketers target phones with spam and scams. And consumers? They suffer the consequences.
At R23 Law, our California Consumer Protection Attorneys specialize in turning those violations into legal victories. If your credit score has dropped unfairly or debt collectors are threatening you at work, it’s time to know your rights—and fight back.
The Big Offenders: Common Consumer Violations We See Every Day
Harassment from Debt Collectors
Debt collectors aren’t allowed to call you before 8 AM or after 9 PM, threaten arrest, or discuss your debt with third parties. Yet many still do. In 2022, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) received over 84,000 debt collection complaints, with 40% involving illegal third-party contact.
Violations include:
Repeated calls to your employer or family
Threats of wage garnishment or lawsuits without court orders
Demands for immediate payment without proper verification
Each violation can result in statutory damages up to $1,000—and even more if willful misconduct is proven under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
Credit Report Errors That Cost You Thousands
Your credit score affects everything—from housing to job offers. But 34% of credit reports contain false or outdated information, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
You may be a victim of:
Identity mix-ups
Accounts that aren’t yours
“Late” payments that were actually on time
Reinserted or unverified information despite previous disputes
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), agencies like Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian must:
Investigate disputes within 30 days
Remove unverifiable data
Notify you before reinserting any removed info
Each violation can result in damages from $100 to $1,000, plus unlimited actual damages for willful violations.
Robocalls and Spam That Break the Law
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) bans:
Robocalls to cell phones without written consent
Calls to numbers on the Do Not Call Registry
Spoofed caller IDs
The FCC projects that 60% of mobile phone calls will be spam by 2025. Each illegal call can result in damages between $500 and $1,500 per incident, and the FCC received 5.7 million robocall complaints in 2022.
These calls often push:
Phony debt relief
Fake charity donations
Warranty scams
Know the Warning Signs of a Consumer Rights Violation
The visual infographic on page 4 of the original article outlines key red flags, including:
Debt threats with no legal basis
Employer or third-party contact after you’ve said no
No response to a credit report dispute within 30 days
Robocalls without prior consent
Other signs include unexplained drops in your credit score or bills you’ve never seen before.
Legal Tools That Put Power Back in Your Hands
Federal consumer protection laws are on your side:
FDCPA: Stops threats, harassment, and improper debt disclosures.
FCRA: Enforces credit report accuracy, timely dispute resolution, and full transparency.
TCPA: Holds telemarketers accountable and ensures consent-based communication.
And yes—you can get paid. Statutory damages, punitive awards, and attorney fees are all on the table.
Real Results: Justice Through Enforcement
Page 7 of the report shows the power of legal action:
47% of CFPB debt collection complaints involve illegal contact
73% of disputed credit report errors were removed or corrected through legal intervention
R23 Law's California Consumer Protection Attorneys Are Here for You
At R23 Law, we don’t just stop the harassment—we leverage federal protections to recover financial damages and restore your credit. We handle:
Illegal robocall litigation
Credit report disputes
Debt collector harassment claims
📞 Contact us for a free consultation. We serve clients throughout California and speak multiple languages to meet the needs of our diverse communities.
