Keeping An Eye On Debt Collectors

As a consumer it can be scary to deal with debt collectors. You may feel like you have no rights or that your options are limited to what they offer you. Fortunately, you have more rights than you may realize and repaying your debts doesn’t have to come in the form of dealing with debt collectors.

What To Watch Out For

Debt collectors are supposed to be bound by certain rules and laws that prohibit certain actions during collection practices. You have the legal right to report the debt collector to the Federal Trade Commission if they engage in any of the following behaviors:

• Calls before 8:00am or after 9:00pm
• Uses abusive or threatening language
• Misrepresents themselves or the amount of debt owed
• Insists you can only repay your debts through their assistance

Keeping Your Guard Up

Although there are many legitimate debt collectors, there are also many scam artists who impersonate them.  Whether it is the legitimate debt collector engages in unlawful collection practices or the scam artist who attempts to trick you into using their service, you can protect yourself by doing the following:

• Request proof of the debt collectors legitimacy through a license or proof of affiliation
• Request written proof of the debt allegedly owed
• Verify the debt with your creditor directly
• Check your credit report for inaccuracies and signs of identity theft
• Dispute inaccurate information with your creditor directly