|
|
|
|
How To Get Bill Collectors
Off Your Back
There are four ways to get bill collectors to leave you alone.
The first is a Cease Communication Letter, the second is a request for validation
of the debt, the third is to catch them breaking the law and the fourth
is negotiating a settlement. Here's how it all breaks down.
1) Cease Communication Letter:
This is the best way to handle bogus debts (debts that belong to someone else or
debts that you have already paid). This is also the best way to handle smaller
debts (debts that aren't worth enough to take you to court). Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices
Act , it
is illegal for bill collectors to contact you and attempt to collect the debt once they
receive your cease communication letter. They could try to file a judgement with
the courts, but it isn't likely they would spend the money knowing they will
lose or knowing that the debt is too small to make it worth their while. Here is
a sample Cease Communication Letter.
Send it by certified mail with
return receipt so the collection agency can't pretend it wasn't
received.
2) Debt Validation Request: Send a
certified letter with return receipt asking for validation
of the debt and the name of the original creditor. You have to
do this within 30 days of first being contacted by the bill collector or they can
dun you before you get the validation. Here is a sample letter .
Quite often, collection
agencies won't send anything or they will send some kind of bogus
verification. If this happens, try method number 3 below because the
collection agency has broken the law.
3) Catch Them Breaking The Law: A lot of
bill collectors routinely violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. If this happens to
you, then you can file a complaint with your state Attorney General
and the Federal Trade
Commission. For example, if they call you at work after you told them not
to, if they don't send verification of the debt per your written request, if
they lie to you, if they threaten you with prison, etc. Here is a sample letter
.
Another option is to hire a lawyer and sue the collection agency.
4) Settle The Debt For Pennies On The
Dollar: There are
some cases in which this would work. It depends on the attitude of the bill
collector. Some bill collectors are willing to work with people but some of them
are downright nasty. If the bill collector handling your case seems reasonable
you might be able to work out a deal. Trying to negotiate a settlement is an
admission that you owe the debt so you need to be sure you can follow through on
the agreement. Remember to get everything in writing if you choose this option.
Even bill collectors who seem nice can lie to you, but if you have it in writing
you're protected from this. Here is a sample letter.
|
More Tips For Dealing
With Bill Collectors:
1) It is perfectly legal
to hang up on bill collectors when they call. If you get one that is
obnoxious or deceitful, just hang up.
2) Use an answering
machine to screen your calls. Caller ID may not work because a
lot of collection agencies pay to have it
blocked.
3) Communicate only in
writing whenever possible. Always use certified mail with return receipt
and save your records.
4) If they violate the Fair Debt Collection
Practices Act, keep a log of the violations. Then file a complaint
with your state Attorney General and the Federal Trade
Commission. |
The information on this page is not legal advice.
It is not guaranteed to work in every case. Please see the disclaimer.
|
|
|
Copyright © 1998-2008
Consumer City.org |
