Being in debt can be a rough trip, but if you’re getting harassing phone calls at work, and home, it can be a burden on life.  Thankfully, for the FDCPA, or Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, there are laws that pertain to debt collectors.  If you find out that these companies are violating these rules, you can get them into a lot of trouble.

It’s up to you to know to know their limits.

Can a debt collector call me?

Yes, they can.  They can’t call you before 8 a.m., or after 9 p.m., unless you have it in writing that they can do so (which I highly doubt).  They can’t repeatedly call your, nor can they trick you into picking up the phone.

When a debt collector calls, they may not harass you, use obscene language, nor can they make negative comments about yourself.  This goes alongside with racial slurs, and ethnic slurs as well.

Can they sue me?

A debt collection agency can sue you, but they can’t threaten that they can send the police to your doorstep, etc.   If you find that they threaten to garnish wages, or threaten to sue when they aren’t going to, these are all against the FDCPA rules.

What does a collection agency have to tell me?

When a debt collector calls, he/she must state their name, as well as the agency they are calling from.  If they don’t respond with an answer, I would consider that you just hang up the phone.  Also, if they don’t state the account they are talking about, you will find that it’s awfully hard to get things straight, and the fact that you may not even own these accounts.

Can I tell them to stop calling me?

Yes, you will have to send a certified letter to the collection agency.  This may stop them from calling you, but they are going to proceed with the collections process.  You can expect a letter in the mail from them telling you what they intend on doing.

Can I collector talk to my neighbor or family member?

They can, but they can only get your where abouts.  They can’t talk about your debts, what you owe.  The agency must identify them self, as well as identify the name of the company.

There are a lot of things that you should be aware of when it comes to debt collections practices.   Since there are so many questions that I just can’t get to, I would recommend that you follow up with PrivacyRights.org as well.