Connecticut BBB Reminds Consumers of their Rights Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

What to do When a Debt Collector Calls

If you use credit cards or owe money on loan, you are considered to be “in debt.”  If you fall behind on a payment to your creditors, you may be contacted by a debt collector.  However, consumers are protected by law against certain practices used by some legitimate debt collection agencies, and Connecticut Better Business Bureau wants to educate consumers about their rights when contacted about a debt.

Consumer complaints allege debt collectors used threats to force consumers into paying their alleged debt, did not provide adequate proof of the debt when requested and continuously harassed consumers after they were asked not to or told the debt was incorrect.

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors are required to treat consumers fairly and are prohibited from certain methods of debt collection.  For example, debt collectors are prohibited from harassing consumers or using false or misleading statements.  Collectors may not state that a consumer will be arrested for failing to pay, that their property or wages will be seized, or that they are attorneys or government representatives.

Additionally, under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors:

• may only contact you in person, by mail, telephone or fax.  However, they may not contact you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
• must stop contacting you if you write a letter to the collector telling the company to stop.
• are obliged to send you a written notice telling you the amount of money you owe, the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money and what action to take if you believe you do not owe the money, within five days of initial contact.
• may not contact you if you send the collection agency a letter stating you do not owe the money, within 30 days after you receive the written notice.

If you receive a call from a debt collector, BBB advises you to follow these steps:

Request written proof - By law, a collection agency must send a validation notice within five days of initially contacting you about the debt. Do not provide personal or financial information unless the validity of the debt and the debt collector has been confirmed. 

Research the collector and/or agency - Get the debt collector's name and contact information.  Check the company's BBB Business Review at www.bbb.org, and verify that the representative who called is indeed affiliated with the agency.

Check for identity theft - If contacted by a collection agency regarding erroneous bills or debts, it could be an indication of identity theft or a con artist’s attempt to extort money by posing as a debt collector.  You may review your credit report from each of the three credit reporting companies for free every twelve months at annualcreditreport.com.

Don’t ignore errors - If you have no outstanding debts in your name, contact any involved parties to clear up inaccuracies on your credit report.  Write a detailed letter and include supporting documents to prove your case.

Know where to turn - Report any problems with debt collectors to your Better Business Bureau, the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General or the Federal Trade Commission.

To check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit bbb.org.

-Submitted by Howard Schwartz, Executive Communications Director Connecticut Better Business Bureau