What can credit card companies get when they sue you?

Answer 1

Being in the collections business, I will guarantee you that people get sued by credit card companies everyday. What can they get? That depends on what state you live in and what the laws of that state permit. I know for a fact that in many cases the defendant can be assessed with attorney's fees, court costs, interest - nasty stuff that could have been avoided if it never went to court. If you want to know what can happen but don't start asking, you will run out of time. Waiting could be it's own answer.


The last posting was probably written by a bill collector. The chances that a credit card company will sue you is very very slim. If the credit card company sells your debt to a Collection Company the Collection Company cannot legally sue you in most states. The big question is" How long can you put up with harassing phone calls and letters?? If it doesn't bother you, don't worry about it.

Sorry, but the above entry is not quite correct. Credit card debt is considered unsecured debt. That does not mean that the issuer or the third party purchaser cannot take legal action to recover monies owed. It is true that the CC company itself seldom sues but sells the account to a collection agency. Collectors do sue for any amount they can get because that is how they make money. All states allow lawsuits for defaulted debts. The issue is not if a person can be sued but what property real or personal can be seized for the repayment of the debt. That matter is where state laws differ in what can be taken, how it can be taken and what the amount can be. For example, garnishment laws differ state-to-state.

Answer 2

States inact laws that determine howa judgment creditor can execute the judgment against the judgment debtor.

In most states a judgment writ can be enforced as a wage garnishment (preferred method) or bank account levy or a lienand/orseizure and sale of unexempt real or personal property belonging solely to the judgment debtor.