subject: Collection Practices What Is Allowed [print this page] No one likes receiving calls from debt collectors. They are intrusive and sometimes border on abusive. Fortunately, collection practices are regulated by the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and enforced by the nations consumer protection agency, the Federal Trade Commission.
The FDCPA defines a debt collector as someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. Clear guidelines have been established for what a debt collector may do in the attempt to collect a debt. They must always treat you with respect and all dealings must be fair and truthful.
Debt collectors are allowed to call you between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. They can only call you at other hours if you agree to it. They can continue calling you unless you tell them in writing to stop. After that, they may only call you to tell you they wont be calling you anymore or to truthfully inform you that they intend to file a lawsuit against you. They cannot tell you that as a threat, but only if they honestly intend to file a suit.
Debt collectors may contact you at work only if you and your employer allow it. Once you tell the collector that you are not allowed to receive such calls at work, they must not call you there again.
They can contact third parties, but they may not discuss your debt or identify themselves as a debt collector. They can only ask for your address, phone number and work location. They may only call the third party one time.
If you inform the collector that you have an attorney dealing with the debt on your behalf, they can only call the attorney. Not you.
Collectors are charged with being truthful with you. They cant accuse you of a crime, misrepresent who they work for or the amount you owe. They cannot garnish your wages unless they have first sued you, won the lawsuit and obtained a garnishment order from the court.
For more information, go to Collection Practices at http://www.creditnowusa.com/Collection-Practices
