Telling an agent they have the wrong number usually fails because automated dialing systems do not update across the entire collection floor based on one conversation. Consumer protection rules prohibit agencies from repeatedly calling your number once you have clearly stated you are not the debtor. To stop the calls, you need to transition from … Read more
Federal law prohibits debt collectors from calling you before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. in your local time zone. A call placed outside of these hours is not a minor oversight. It is a documentable violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Missed calls and voicemails left during restricted hours still count as … Read more
A debt collector leaving a voicemail is bound by strict federal rules regarding what they must say and what they must keep secret. Every standard collection voicemail must include the “Mini-Miranda” disclosure, stating that the call is an attempt to collect a debt. If a collector leaves a detailed message and a third party hears … Read more
Federal law presumes a debt collector is violating the rules if they call you more than seven times in a seven-day period about the same debt. Once you have an actual conversation with a collector about the debt, they are prohibited from calling you again about that specific account for seven days. The number seven … Read more
Debt collectors are legally allowed to call you on Sundays, Saturdays, and public holidays. While a single weekend call is legal, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that a pattern of concentrating calls on Sundays can be used as evidence of illegal harassment. Collection agencies staff weekend shifts specifically because they know consumers are more … Read more
Debt collectors are legally allowed to contact your family members exactly one time, and strictly for the purpose of acquiring your location or contact information. They are strictly prohibited from identifying themselves as debt collectors or mentioning that you owe a debt to anyone other than you or your spouse. While the legal justification is … Read more
A debt collector is legally permitted to call your workplace under federal law, but they must follow extremely strict rules regarding what they can say. Their primary goal in calling your job is rarely just to find you. It is a calculated tactic designed to use social pressure and the fear of your employer finding … Read more