Collectors must:

- Tell you how much you owe, the name of the original creditor, and what action you must take if you believe the debt is not yours. The creditor must do this within five days of the initial contact.

- Stop all collection of any account if you notify them that you do not owe them money within thirty days of the initial contact. The collector can re-activate collection if they can verify that the account and moneys owed belong to you, by sending you a copy of the original contract or a copy of a bill.

- Identify themselves as a debt or bill collector and cannot use false names.


Collectors cannot:

- claim you owe money that you do not.

- use threats of any kind against you, your family or your possession.

- use obscene, abuse or profane language.

- repeatedly call you to the point of annoyance.

- call before 8 am or after 9 pm, unless you agree to be contacted then.

- contact you at work, if you employer disapproves.

- tell anyone else about you debt except your lawyer.

- make any false statements.

- say they are an attorney if they are not.

- publish or advertise your debt.

- tell you that you will be arrested.

- give false credit information.

- deposit post dated checks until the date that is written on the check.

- contact you by post card.

- call you collect.

- send a false official or legal document from a court or government agency.

- threaten legal action that they have no intention of taking.

- collect more money then you owe, unless they can do so legally.

- misrepresent the amount, character, or legal status of your debt.


Common False Statements

- I am an attorney or lawyer.

- You have committed a crime and you can go to jail.

- I represent (or work for) the credit bureaus.

- The documents I am sending to you are legal forms.

- I will garnish your wages (collectors can garnish your wages but it is a long process).

- I will put a lien on your home (once again it is possible but it will take some time).

- I will sue (they can sue you if you owe them money but most collectors do not sue and if your in a lot of debt it could push you to bankruptcy).

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