THE RULES

Debt collectors cannot make false threats

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They cannot call you before 8:00 A.M. or after 9:00 P.M.

They cannot call you repeatedly if they are attempting to annoy or harass you

For the most part, they cannot contact third parties (i.e., your friends and family)

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They cannot call your work if they have reason to know your employer does not allow such calls

They must properly identify themselves

They cannot use language that is profane, abusive, or harassing

They cannot inflate balances owed and/or add junk fees to the balance

If they are reporting the debt to the credit bureaus, they must report it accurately

They cannot sue you somewhere other than where you created the contract or where you currently live

You have the right to demand that they cease communications

They cannot publish a list of names of people who owe them money

They cannot communicate by postcard or print language on envelopes suggesting they are collecting debts

They cannot tell you that documents are legal documents if they are not, and vice-versa

They cannot send you a document that appears to be from a court or government agency when it is not

Within 30 days of being initially contacted, you have the right to dispute the debt and request they validate it

COMMON VIOLATIONS

Threatening you with arrest

Threatening to sue you for a debt that is past the statute of limitations

Threatening to garnish/levy money that they cannot (i.e., Social Security benefits)

Failing to report to a dispute to a credit bureau

Re-aging the account it reports to a credit bureau to make it look newer than it is

Suing you in an inconvenient location

Contacting relatives to “locate” you, even though they already have your location information

Calling you multiple times in a single day

Calling you at work after being advised not to do so

Continuing debt collection efforts before validating the debt or after you have exercised your cease-and-desist rights

GETTING LEGAL HELP