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ctors and bill collecting agencies can be ruthless in their pursuit in obtaining monies owed. To understand how to effectively deal with bill collectors, know your rights.

It?s important to state at the outset how bill collectors, especially agencies, obtain the information in the first place. Simply put, if you have a credit card that has outstanding debt, the bank will sell the information to a particular collection agency that, in turn, will begin the harassment and incessant calls demanding payment using unscrupulous methods.

Know Your Rights: According to The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, “Federal law dictates how and when a debt collector may contact you. A debt collector may not call you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. or while you?re at work if the collector knows that your employer doesn?t approve of the calls. Collectors may not harass you, lie, or use unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. And they must honor a written request from you to stop further contact.?

In addition, ?Within five days after you are first contacted, the collector must send you a written 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. A collector may not contact you if, within 30 days after you receive the written notice, you send the collection agency a letter stating 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.?

Debt collectors may not use any false or misleading statements when collecting a debt. Debt collectors may not:

* Falsely imply that they are attorneys or government representatives

* Falsely imply that you have committed a crime

* Falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit bureau

* Misrepresent the amount of your debt

* Indicate that papers being sent to you are legal forms when they are not

* Indicate that papers being sent to you are not legal forms when they are

* Say that you will be arrested if you do not pay your debt

* Seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages, unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so, and it is legal to do so

* Say that actions, such as a lawsuit, will be taken against you, when such action legally may not be taken, or when they do not intend to take such action

* Give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit bureau

* Send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency when it is not

* Use a false name

* Collect any amount greater than your debt, unless your state law permits such a charge

* Deposit a postdated check prematurely

* Use deception to make you accept collect calls or pay for telegrams

* Take or threaten to take your property unless this can be done legally

* Contact you by postcard

These are the rules and regulations as set forth by the Federal Trade Commission. If the bill collector violates any one of these rules, you have several options. You can sue them, notify the Attorney General in your state, or file a complaint with the FTC by going to: https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01.

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