30 Most Common Debt Collector Violations

this is what they do:





DEBT COLLECTORS MAY NOT HARASS OR ABUSE YOU BY:

· Making repeated and continuous phone calls

· Making annoying, harassing and abusive phone calls

· Telling others about your debts, like your neighbors
or co-workers.

· Contacting you without disclosing their identity

· Contacting anyone except you, your attorney, or a
credit bureau (with very limited exceptions)

· Threatening to have you arrested if you do not pay
your debts.

· Threatening any action they do not intend to take,
such as lawsuit or wage garnishment

· Using profane or abusive language


DEBT COLLECTORS MAY NOT CONTACT YOU:

· After they know you are represented by an attorney

· At any unusual time (before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.) or
place

· Cannot Call you at work if they know that your employer
prohibits it, or if it’s inconvenient for you.

· After written notification (from you to them) that you refuse to pay debt

· After written notification to cease all further
communication

DEBT COLLECTORS MAY NOT MAKE FALSE, DECEPTIVE OR
MISLEADING STATEMENTS :

· Threatening to take any action that cannot legally be
taken or that is not intended to be taken

· Falsely threatening an imminent law suit or wage
garnishment

· Leading you to believe he/she is an attorney or that
a phone call or letter is from an attorney

· Falsely threatening criminal prosecution or jail

· Misrepresenting the amount or legal status of the
debt

· Falsely implying affiliation with the United States or
any state, including the use of any badge and/or
uniform

· Sending a collection letter or leaving a voice mail
that fails to contain the mini-Miranda warning: "THIS
IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT.
COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR"

· Misrepresenting themselves as being employed by
a consumer reporting agency

· Communicating false credit information, including
failure to communicate to credit bureaus that a debt
is disputed

DEBT COLLECTORS MAY NOT USE UNFAIR PRACTICES,
SUCH AS:

· Attempting to collect an amount not authorized by
contract or permitted by law

· Depositing or threatening to deposit your post-
dated check prior to its date

· Accepting or soliciting your check postdated by
more than 5 days without 3 business days written
notice of intent to deposit

· Causing any charges to be made to you, e.g., collect
telephone calls, usage of cell phone minutes

· Taking or threatening to unlawfully repossess

· Communicating with you by postcard

· Displaying any language or symbol on the envelope
indicating the communication concerns debt
collection