Debt collectors can be relentless.
It's important to know your rights when you start getting calls about past debts.
The Federal Trade Commission has many tips to help you during this process, including how to get debt collectors to stop contacting you and what the collector needs to tell you about your debt.
But which three tips should you absolutely know?
Know the rules
First, keep in mind that bill collectors can't call you before 8 a.m. and after 9 pm. They also can't call you at work, if you tell them not disturb you at work.
Send a letter
Send collectors a letter by certified mail and get a return receipt. At that point, they can only reach out to confirm that they will stop contact or tell you any action they are taking against you. Before sending a letter, you should speak with the collector at least once, even if it's not your debt or you can’t pay at the moment.
Old debt
If your debt is old, there's a certain number of years collectors have to sue you. Once that time has passed, your debt is officially considered "Time Barred" and they can no longer take legal action against you. At that point, you can decide to not pay the debt or pay it. Some collectors will take less than you owe in order to settle it.
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