How to stop debt collection calls

No one in Minnesota likes being on the receiving end of nonstop collection calls. If you’re like most people overwhelmed by debt, you probably wish you could keep up with payments. However, unforeseen financial circumstances can lead to missed payments and a debt cycle that’s hard to get out of. Now that the calls are coming, how do you stop them?

Know your rights

It doesn’t matter whether you are months behind on your minimum credit card payments. You are still protected from abusive debt collection practices under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Unless you give them permission, creditors are not allowed to call you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Creditors are also barred from contacting you at your job or engaging in abusive debt collection tactics.

Tell debt collectors you are working on a settlement

If you are working with a debt settlement company, you can let debt collectors know this when they call. You do not have to give any details about your debt settlement plans, and you don’t have to answer any further questions about it. In some cases, alerting debt collectors that you are working on a plan to settle your debt could help persistent collection calls cool off for a little while.

Block phone numbers

You can always block the phone numbers of debt collectors when they come in. This is only a temporary fix since many debt collection companies will have multiple phone numbers that they can call you from. However, blocking phone numbers as they come in may decrease the number of calls you receive from debt collectors.

Pursue legal action

When debt collectors violate your rights or use abusive language, they are actually breaking the law. You may be able to pursue legal action against debt collectors and get them to stop contacting you altogether.

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