Can I be chased for a UK debt in the US ?

[holdfold]

Hello All

Anyone had any experience of being chased for a UK debt(S) in the US? Have immigrated and being unable to sell assets to settle CC debts, left with a number of balances which I am unable to pay. Being chased in the US by a DCA and am holding my own. How far can they go to recover the UK debt? All advice appreciated.

[MARTIN3030]

Hi welcome to the site.
I am unsure of the answer to this but will move your thread to somewhere where you should get an answer.

[tomterm8]

I do not believe that they can enforce a debt in the US courts, however I understand that U.S. Immigration policy is can be strict on people it considers "debt evaders". it might be a good idea to contact National Debtline England & Wales | Contact National Debtline as UK charity for further advice.

[DoublesWhenDo]

The internet has allowed the process of contacting and finding debtors in other countries economically viable.

An email to a contact in a debt collection / private investigation company in ANY country that would undertake the service within the laws of that country/state is all that is required.

I wouldn't like to put a ceiling figure upon which a debt would be chased abroad but service of papers can be as little as £50.00 and (again an email costs nothing) this is widely used with the rise in Brits moving abroad.

Bigger companies will also have offices in other countries and/or very strong ties within the industry.

The short answer is yes, its whether the amount is considered worth chasing!

DWD

[sequenci]

I don't think there is a reciprocal agreement for debt between the uk and the us.

[DoublesWhenDo]

OK, with a little more digging and a few contacts here is the references needed with regard your situation!!

Depends on the state in which that person relocated.
Each state has their own collection laws and they all have to deal with the Federal laws that also deal with that topic.
If there is a judgment or just a debt?
If it just a debt, you can find the US federal law on debt collection practices in Title 15 of the United States Code.

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Debt collection in the USA is big business and is governed by the American Collectors Association with the commission rate charged anything up to 50% of moneys collected or paid to the creditor and like this country there are agencies who undertake NO COLLECTION NO FEE.

What I am saying is that the fees in the USA are higher than in the UK.

Do some of your own groundwork to put your mind at rest/unrest, you decide.

Call or send an email to a debt collector in the US and ask them if they can recover monies for you, from a British citizen, residing in the US - I know what the answer will be

The Knowledge Base of the Credit and Collection Industry

The question of collection through a US court would be undertaken by a Lawyer in the relevant state and as with this country these legal fees are recoverable and added to the debt.

The relevancy I believe, is the amount of the debt, allied with the ease by which a contact is sought, if for example the debt was with a large worldwide bank then they would have people in place already to deal with debtors moving abroad.

DWD