People who have debts they can’t pay know how difficult it is to deal with debt collectors. Many people know that debt collectors will do anything within their power to collect what they’re owed. What some don’t realize is that there are limits to this.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act sets very specific limitations for debt collectors about some aspects of this industry. There are also some areas that are a bit vaguer. Phone calls are one area of debt collection that have several regulations.
When can debt collectors call?
The FDCPA limits debt collection calls to 8:00 in the morning until 9:00 at night. They can’t call you at a time or place that they know would be inconvenient for you.
How often can they call?
There’s no firm limit to how many times a debt collector can you. There’s a presumption about this. It’s presumed that there’s a violation of the law if they call you about the same debt within seven days of having a conversation with you about that debt. It’s also presumed that the law is violated if the debt collector calls you more than seven times in seven days about the same debt without making contact with you.
What are the limits on what they say?
Debt collectors can’t reveal information about your debt to others. There are exceptions made for spouses. They must verify that you are the person they’re calling for before they can even say they’re a bill collector. Many use the term “personal business matter” as the reason for the call if they’re asked by someone other than the debtor.
Understanding your rights when it comes to debt collectors is beneficial because you know your options for dealing with them. It may help for you to have someone on your side who can help you to uphold those rights, especially when you’re dealing with unscrupulous debt collectors.
