Things Debt Collectors Can't Do

Getting a call from debt collector can be unnerving, especially when they start pressuring you into paying more than you think you can afford. You have rights as a consumer when debt collectors call as stated in the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This act states that a debt collector cannot:

• Call you early in the morning, late at night, or at any other unreasonable time or place

• Harass you

• Contact you at work if your employer prohibits personal calls

• Threaten you

• Tell anyone (other than your spouse, lawyer, or cosigner) that you're in debt

• Bug you once you've told them to bug off

If they break the rules anyway, tell them you know what the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is and how to use it. Then use it by filing a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission, Correspondence Branch, 600 Pennsylvania NW, Washington, D.C. 20580.