If you have unpaid debts, typically that have gone unpaid in excess of 90 days, they may be sent to a debt collection agency. This agency will then begin making debt collection calls, as well as typically sending letters in an attempt to collect the debt that is owed. There are a few ways to stop debt collection calls, as well as to protect your legal rights to privacy.
In the United States, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) governs the way debt collectors must legally behave. Of course, not all debt collectors obey these practices, meaning it is up to you to know the law, and to remind the collectors of it when they make debt collection calls. First, if you can pay your debt, by all means do so; if you are not sure that you legitimately owe the debt, you are within your right to ask for proof that the debt is yours. Do not pay a debt that you are not sure is yours just to stop debt collection calls; this serves as an acknowledgment that the debt is yours, and the debt collectors can then continue to demand further payment.
Begin a file of every time the debt collection calls happen. You may ask the debt collectors to deal with you entirely in writing, and they are required to abide by this; then, any time you send correspondence to the collection agency, send it certified mail with return receipt requested, and keep all copies. Debt collectors may not call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time, so be sure to remind them of this as well. They are also not allowed to harass you, use foul language, call you repeatedly, lie, or threaten legal action if it is not true. They also may not contact your friends, neighbors, family members, or workplace if they have legitimate contact information for you.
Though it may be tempting, do not simply ignore the debt collection calls and hope they go away. Know your rights, but also know that it is in your best interest to communicate with the collection agency in an attempt to work out payment and to eliminate the debt you owe as soon as possible. If it is necessary to hire a lawyer, then do so; the collection agency must then contact you through your attorney. These are just a few of the most important things to keep in mind when dealing with debt collectors, but there is a great deal more information to be found by searching online.
