How to Stop Harrassing Phone Calls From Debt Collectors
According to MSN Money, America's debt problem is growing. Nearly 43 percent of Americans spend more than they earn in a year and the number of bankruptcies has nearly doubled in the last decade. Struggling with debt can lead to many unpleasant experiences, one of which is phone calls from debt collectors. It is possible to have these stopped and your peace of mind restored.
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Instructions
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Tell the debt collector verbally not to phone you. Put a request in writing that collectors not contact you by phone. Once they have received this, they must stop making the calls. If they continue to phone you once the written instruction is given, they are in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which gives you the right to not be contacted by a debt collector via telephone, once you have instructed the collector not to call.
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Inform the debt collector that you will only deal with them via the mail. You are under no obligation to deal with them over the phone.
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Document all calls from debt collectors, especially if they continue to phone after you have instructed them not to. Tell them that you are documenting the phone calls. If the calls continue after you have instructed the debt collector not to contact you by phone, contact an attorney who specializes in consumer law. You may have grounds for a lawsuit.
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Tips & Warnings
You can change your phone number, but you really shouldn't have to. If you do, be very careful who you give your new number to.
Always remain calm. Some debt collectors are trained to bully and intimidate. If they feel they are not scaring you, then they are less likely to call back.
Do not give a debt collector any bank or credit card details. Do not agree to make any sort of payment over the phone.
Even though you can stop debt collection phone calls, this will not make the debt problem go away. If you're struggling with debt consider a credit counseling service.
References
- Photo Credit Old telephone image by Nenad Djedovic from Fotolia.com
