Page 28 - Book8E

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a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you agree. A debt collector also may not contact you at work if the collector knows that your employer disap- proves of such contacts.
Can I stop a debt collector from contacting me? You can stop a debt collector from contacting you by writing a letter to the collector telling him to stop. Once the collector receives your letter, he may not contact you again except to say there will be no further contact or to notify you that the debt collector or the creditor intends to take some specific action. Please note, however, that sending such a letter to a collector does not make the debt go away if you actually owe it. You could still be sued by the debt collector or your original creditor.
May a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt? If you have an attorney, the debt collector must contact the attorney rather than you. If you do not have an attorney, a collector may contact other peo- ple, but only to find out where you live, what your phone number is, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting such third parties more than once. In most cases, the collector may not tell anyone other than you and your attorney that you owe money.
What must the debt collector tell me about the debt? Within five days after you are first contacted, the collector must send you a writ- ten notice telling you the amount of money you owe; the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money; and what action to take if you believe you do not owe the money.
May a debt collector continue to contact me if I believe I don’t owe money? A collector may not contact you if, within 30 days after you receive the written notice, you send the collection agency a letter stat- ing you do not owe money. However, a collector can renew collection activities if you are sent proof of the debt, such as a copy of a bill for the amount owed.
What types of debt collection practices are prohibited? Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact.
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act