One of the worst parts about being in debt is the constant calls from collection agencies. Debt collectors can be very intimidating and will often harass people until they can take it no longer. They also use very questionable methods in order to get you to pay up, even if you do not believe that you owe anything. Here are a few key things to remember about your rights when being contacted by bill collectors.

Debt that is covered

When a collector calls about a debt, they can only be calling about personal debt such as credit cards, car payment, medical payments, as well as a host of other personal loans. You can not be contacted about business debt or any personal debt if you have declared bankruptcy.

Means of contact

Debt collectors can contact you in a variety of different ways including mail, fax, in person, or on the phone. They can also contact you at work unless you tell them otherwise. Debt collectors can not call you later at night or early in the morning, unless you give them permission to do so. You can also request that a debt collector stop contacting you by sending them a letter. After they receive this letter, they are only allowed to contact you to inform you that they will no longer be contacting you, or to tell you that they or the credit company plans to take some sort of action against you.

Contacting others

Debt collectors may contact others such as family, or employers, but only to find out your address or phone number. They may not give out any information about your debt or money that you owe. Most of the time debt collectors are only allowed to contact these people once for information. If you have a lawyer, a collector may talk to your lawyer about your debt, but not other people.