The only thing that’s almost as bad as being in debt is your debt collectors.
Yes, we get it. Your job is to collect our debt.
But the truth is…
There are laws that your debt collectors must follow.
And many debt collectors break these laws in attempt to collect the debt you owe.
We’ve provided a list of things your debt collectors are forbidden to do.
So next time you notice they’re breaking the law… it’s your job to report them.
Your debt collectors can only discuss your debt with you and no one else. This is YOUR debt.
Other than your spouse and your attorney (and the credit bureaus), your debt is no one else’s business. They cannot publish your debt into shaming you for not paying your debt back and they cannot contact you through postcard.
Debt collectors can contact third parties to gather information about your address and phone number. But they’re usually only allowed to contact these parties once.
Sometimes your debt might bounce around different collection companies. This can cause debt collectors to have wrong information and you might not owe them anything at all.
Collectors must mail you a notice of how much you owe, to whom and how to make a payment. If you receive a notice, and you are not sure if you own this debt, then question it. Send them a letter through certified mail asking for more information or letting them know it is a mistake.
It’s possible that they won’t send you any type of notice. They might just start calling you.
This is when you should send a letter through certified mail asking for more information without assuming responsibility.
Your debt collectors will probably call you many times to try and receive payments. They will almost do anything to get people to pay their debt off. But there are things they are not allowed to do.
They cannot call you repeatedly. Many debt collectors continue to call people until they answer their phones. They cannot try to call you outside the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M. unless they have your permission.
They cannot call you at work unless you allow it. This is another annoying attempt where they think they have you trapped at work and you will have to answer the phone there.
They cannot use obscene language or threaten you with violence.
Your debt collectors cannot contact you at all if you specifically tell them to stop contacting you in writing. If you’re tired of them trying to contact you, send them a letter through certified mail.
Don’t put it off.
They are not allowed to contact you unless you continue to let them contact you.
Your debt collectors must tell you who they are and who they are representing. They cannot lie about having any authority they don’t have. They also cannot claim that the papers they send you are legal forms.
If anyone calls you saying they are a lawyer or an attorney, then it’s important for you to verify who they are. It’s against the law for any debt collector to lie about who they are. But this doesn’t stop some of them from attempting it.
No matter how much debt you owe, your debt collectors cannot arrest you or charge you for not paying back your debt. Your debt collectors don’t work for law enforcement agencies or government agencies.
Whether you failed to pay your mortgage or a car loan, your debt collectors can’t say they’re going to arrest you for not paying back your debt.
This is against the law and the debt collectors can actually get arrested for using this method.
Your debt collectors cannot threaten to garnish your wages. No matter how long they try to collect debt from you, they don’t have the power to garnish your wages.
They also cannot take any of your property. Once again, they do not work for the government. And it’s against the law to make these claims.
The only way you’ll face wage garnishment is if your debt collectors decide to take you to court. And you will face wage garnishment if the court rules in favor of your debt collectors. But you’ll know beforehand if they’re going to take your case to court.
Remember: Your debt collectors cannot garnish your wages themselves. Wage garnishment is a legal process.
Debt collectors make many claims that they have no authority to do. They use these tactics as a desperate attempt for them to get debts paid off. However, it’s important for you to know that these practices are against the law!
Here are some claims they might make:
If your debt collectors threatens you with any of these claims, it’s important for you to tell them to stop this behavior. You can even take them to court if they fail to stop this behavior.
Did you find this information helpful? Click here to learn How To Get Out Of Debt!
Do YOU have any other tips for people dealing with the debt collector issues mentioned above?
We want to hear from YOU in the comment section!
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