Industry Tips
Collections
If you fall behind in repaying your creditors, or an error is made on your accounts, you may be contacted by a debt collector.
You should know that in either situation, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires that debt collectors treat you fairly and prohibits certain methods of debt collection. Of course, the law does not erase any legitimate debt you owe.
A debt collector may contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram, or fax. However, a debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you agree. A debt collector also may not contact you at work if the collector knows that your employer disapproves of such contacts.
If you have an attorney, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you do not have an attorney, a collector may contact other people, but only to find out where you live, what your phone number is, and where you work. In most cases, the collector may not tell anyone other than you and your attorney that you owe money. Because of this, voice messages may be vague with little details due to privacy issues.
To receive a complete copy of the Fair Debt Collection Practices act or if you believe a debt collector has violated the law, contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP or www.ftc.gov.