A debt collector can never use offensive words, be insulting or make any personal attacks against you.
Debt collectors cannot reveal your debt to anyone other than you. In some very limited circumstances, collection agencies may be able to contact neighbors or co-workers, but only to get some very specific information about you, without mentioning your debt. Sometimes, disreputable debt collectors try to embarrass consumers into making payments by harassing their family, friends and co-workers. This is against the law.
In many circumstances, a debt collector cannot communicate with a consumer in any way if you have written to them requesting them to stop.
Debt collectors can’t contact you at work after you’ve told them not to or if it’s against office policy.
It’s illegal to repeatedly cause a telephone to ring and/or to continuously bother someone. Furthermore, debt collectors cannot harass, be abusive, or say things to scare or intimidate you.
Once you hire an attorney, it’s illegal for a debt collector to contact you in any way.
It’s illegal to call consumers early in the morning (before 8:00 am) or late at night (after 9:00 pm). Debt collectors also cannot call you during times when you told them it is inconvenient for you.
It’s against the law to threaten you. Debt collectors cannot say that you will be arrested or have some other criminal process brought against you—you cannot be arrested for being in debt. Also, debt collectors cannot threaten any other type of legal process if they don’t plan to take legal action.
Debt collectors cannot use any deceptive tactics to collect debt including misrepresenting the debt and falsely stating that he/she is an attorney or law enforcement officer.
It’s against the law for a debt collector to use any language or symbol on the outside of an envelope or postcard that would let others know that an account is “in collection.”
A debt collector cannot demand any money, including fees or other charges, not contained in the contract you signed.
If you have requested proof of a debt (even if you owe it), and you do not receive that proof, it is against the law for debt collectors to continue to contact you.
