Dealing with Collection Agencies

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires debt collectors to treat you fairly and prevents them from engaging in certain types of activities as they attempt to collect the money you owe. A debt collector can contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram, or fax between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. You can stop a debt collector from contacting you by writing a letter telling them to stop. Once you've done that, the collector can only contact you to notify you that the collector or creditor intends to take some specific action. Just because the calls and letters stop coming doesn't mean the debt has miraculously been wiped clean. You still owe the money, and you should make an effort to pay the debt. If you recently set up a debt relief plan through a credit counseling agency and you are still receiving collection calls, it is possible that the collector has not been made aware of the agreement. Talk to your credit counselor about how best to handle the situation in that case.