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What to Do If You've Been Sued by Northland Group

Chloe Meltzer | January 10, 2024

Chloe-Meltzer
Legal Expert
Chloe Meltzer, MA

Chloe Meltzer is an experienced content writer specializing in legal content creation. She holds a degree in English Literature from Arizona State University, complemented by a Master’s in Marketing from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: Is the Northland Group after you for an old debt? Worried they'll take everything you own? Learn how to stand up against the Northland Group and win in court.

Getting a summons notifying you that you are being sued for debt is stressful and something that no one wants to deal with. Despite this, it happens to many Americans every day. One common group that you might be sued by is Northland Group. If this happens, you must take the correct action to avoid having your wages garnished, or money being taken directly from your account.

What You Need to Know About Northland Group Inc

Northland Group Inc is a third-party debt collection agency. It is based out of Edina, Minnesota, and has been operating since 1982. Focusing on mainly credit cards, automotive, mortgages, student loans, telecommunications, and utility debt, it is a real company and can legally sue you.

This debt collection agency is known for receiving consumer complaints claiming Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) violations. Some consumer reviews have even accused Northland of making false statements when attempting to collect a debt. Other examples of violations include attempting to collect debts not owed by that consumer, or stating information to an employer of someone who owes a debt.

Despite shady behavior, Northland Group Inc is not a scam. Northland Group Inc is an authorized debt collection agency that purchases debt packages from other businesses and then tries to collect from consumers. If Northland has contacted you, you must respond, but also learn how to respond before doing so.

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Common Complaints Against Northland Group Inc

As of September 2019, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received over 440 complaints regarding Northland Group Inc. Examples of complaints include:

  • Attempts to collect a debt not owed: Continued to call despite having the wrong number.
  • Improper communication tactics: Repeatedly made phone calls that are annoying, abusive, or harassing. Not disclosing who they are as a company.

What to Do if Northland Group Inc Contacts You

If Northland Group Inc continues to contact you, then the first step is to determine if they are violating your rights. The following rights are given to consumers under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA):

  • May not contact you about a debt that is not yours, or a debt amount that is more than you owe.
  • Must be able to prove that the debt is owed by you.
  • May not collect if not authorized by the original creditor to collect the debt.
  • May not make automated robocalls to your phone to collect.
  • May not use inappropriate language, or try to intimidate you.
  • May not accuse you of criminal behavior, or threaten to arrest you.
  • May not threaten you with negative credit reporting, lawsuits, or violence.
  • May not call you at work, may not call your friends, coworkers, and neighbors.
  • May not call you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
  • May not call you many times per week.

If any of the above is happening to you, then you may be able to obtain up to $1000 in statutory damages for your FDCPA claim. In this case, Northland would be required to pay your attorney fees and court costs as well. You should never be a consumer who is experiencing harassment from debt collectors like Northland Group Inc. Know your rights and take action today.

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What to Do If You've Been Sued by Northland Group

Gather Information

When an original creditor sells a debt to a third party, it may have been sold many times. Often sold debts have errors about the amount owed or who even owes it.

Answer

You must answer the summons to avoid having your wages garnished.

Request a Validation Letter

Be sure to request a validation letter from the debt collector if you do not receive one within five business days of the first contact. This should include details on the debt, as well as the name of the collection company, and how to fight the debt.

Obtain Your Own Records on the Debt

If the debt is yours, then you will want to find your records regarding the original creditor as well as your history of payments.

Keep Good Records of All Communication

Be sure to keep all records of the debt collector and any payments previously made. Using certified mail is best for documentation.

Know Your Rights

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is something that you should well. It protects your right as a consumer and protects you from predatory collection tactics.

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Actions Northland Group Inc Can Take Against You

As a debt collector, Northland Group may not threaten you in the form of suing or wage garnishment, if they do not have the right, but they may legally have the right to do those things. Northland Group may contact you by phone, text, or mail, but not during inappropriate times such as before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Debt collectors such as Northland Group Inc may also not threaten lawsuits or wage garnishment if there is no valid debt owed. Although they may legally sue you in court, you also have the right to fight that summons.

If you do not respond, then they will be able to obtain a default judgment against you in court. This judgment will state the amount you owe and then will allow them to garnish your wages for that amount. Allowing yourself to continue owing a debt to Northland means you may give them the ability to garnish your wages. Try to stop it before it gets to this point.

You Can Fight Northland Group and Win in Court

FIghting Northland Group may be as simple as properly understand your federal and state protections in the debt collection process. Because Northland Group has been accused of violations in the past, it may happen to you. Whether you send a letter to the debt collector asking for more information or at least send an initial response. Know how to exercise your consumer rights, and always be sure to do so if you wish to beat Northland Group in court.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to respond to a debt collection lawsuit.

How it works: SoloSuit is a step-by-step web app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your answer. Upon completion, you can either print the completed forms and mail in the hard copies to the courts or you can pay SoloSuit to file it for you and to have an attorney review the document.

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"First time getting sued by a debt collector and I was searching all over YouTube and ran across SoloSuit, so I decided to buy their services with their attorney reviewed documentation which cost extra but it was well worth it! SoloSuit sent the documentation to the parties and to the court which saved me time from having to go to court and in a few weeks the case got dismissed!" – James


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