What's the worst thing debt collectors can legally do?

Last Updated: July 10, 2024

When Do Collectors Cross the Line?

Disclaimer: We are not qualified legal or tax professionals and are not giving advice. Always speak with a qualified professional before making any legal or financial decisions.

John woke up one morning to a persistent knocking on his front door. When he opened it, he was met by two serious-looking men in suits who firmly announced they were there to discuss his past-due credit card debt. They handed him a stack of paperwork and firmly stated that if he didn't make a payment arrangement soon, they would take legal action. John felt uneasy, unsure if these men had the right to be there or what steps they might take next.

What's the worst thing debt collectors can legally do? Debt collectors can legally contact you and request payment, but they must adhere to specific regulations that protect your rights. Harassment and threats are not permitted. If you are behind on bills and trying to figure out how to deal with debt collectors when you can't pay, this article will outline your rights and options.

This article will examine the worst practices of unscrupulous collectors, including harassment, threats, deceit, and manipulation. We'll outline illegal debt collection companies, methods to avoid them, and your options for reporting collector misconduct. We'll also examine illegal practices to watch for and how to make collectors stop, including how to stop debt collectors from calling.

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Harassing and Abusive Tactics

One of the worst things debt collectors can legally do is to persistently contact you to request payment, but they cannot engage in harassment. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), collectors are prohibited from repeatedly causing a phone to ring to annoy someone, calling without disclosing their identity, and communicating at times known to be inconvenient for the debtor.

Specific forms of harassment from debt collectors may involve:

• Repeatedly calling the debtor: Collectors could call multiple times per day, even after requesting they stop contacting. This qualifies as harassment under the FDCPA.
• Using abusive, profane, or threatening language: It's illegal for collectors to use obscene, profane, or threatening language such as cursing at or insulting the debtor.
• Making public threats of violence or harm: Any threats of physical harm or violence made publicly or privately violate FDCPA guidelines.
• Contacting the employer about the debt: Collectors are prohibited from communicating with a debtor's employer about their debt. This could embarrass the debtor and put their job at risk.
• Contacting friends/family about debt: Collectors shouldn't discuss the debt with friends or family except to locate the debtor. This is an extreme invasion of privacy.
• Calling at odd hours: Calling outside the acceptable window of 8 am to 9 pm debtor local time violates federal law.
  

Learn more about the common myths and scare tactics used by debt collectors.

False Statements and Misrepresentation

In addition to harassment, some debt collectors resort to false statements, misinformation, and deception to intimidate debtors into paying. These dishonest tactics, such as falsely claiming legal action or misrepresenting the amount owed, violate the FDCPA's prohibitions on using false, deceptive, or misleading means to collect debts. Debtors need to be aware of their rights and report any violations to protect themselves from these unlawful practices.

Specific forms of false statements and misrepresentation include:

• Lying about legal action if the debt is not paid: Collectors might falsely threaten lawsuits or even arrest if the debtor doesn't pay up immediately. In reality, they rarely follow through on these threats.
• Misrepresenting the debt amount owed: Collectors could exaggerate or inflate the actual debt to scare and confuse the debtor. This is illegal.
• Impersonating an attorney or law official: Collectors cannot pretend to have official authority they don't possess. Impersonating legal officials is unlawful.
• Tacking on extra fees not in the original debt: Collectors can't arbitrarily add collection fees, interest, or other charges not explicitly allowed in the original debt agreement.
• Increasing the interest rate arbitrarily: The interest rate on the debt can't be raised beyond what was agreed upon originally per the credit contract.
  

Collectors who lie about legal consequences, fabricate fees, or impersonate officials are hoping to frighten and deceive debtors. Standing up to these tactics is key to debt buyers avoiding being manipulated.

Illegal Fees and Account Manipulation

Along with false statements, some collection agencies illegally make credit reporting companies pad accounts with arbitrary fees and interest to collect more money. Debt collectors often attempt to revive old, expired credit card debts and collect on those, further exploiting the lack of awareness among debtors. These practices not only violate the FDCPA but also severely impact the financial health of individuals, causing undue stress and potential legal issues.

Specific unethical practices involving fees and accounts include:

• Tacking on extra fees not in the original debt
• As mentioned before, collectors cannot arbitrarily charge late fees, collection fees, or other penalties not explicitly allowed by the contract.
• Increasing the interest rate arbitrarily
• Hiking up the interest rate beyond what was agreed upon in the credit contract is unlawful.
• Resurrecting and collecting on time-barred debt
• In most states, debts are considered "time-barred" after 3-6 years when the statute of limitations has expired. Collectors are prohibited from suing or threatening suit to collect on these expired debts.

These shady practices allow collectors to unlawfully move household debts and inflate account balances past due debts. In addition, by exercising rights on old time-barred debt they hope to extract payments from debtors who don't know collectors lack authority on aged debts.

Calling at Odd Hours Outside FDCPA Allowance

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits debt collectors from calling consumers outside the acceptable window of 8:00 am to 9:00 pm local time. Calls made before 8:00 am or after 9:00 pm are considered harassment unless previously agreed upon with the debtor.

Specific violations include:

• Calling before 8:00 am or after 9:00 pm debtor's local time - Collectors cannot place calls outside the daily FDCPA time window without prior consent.
• Calling continuously during work hours against request - If a debtor requests calls only during non-work hours, the collector must comply. Ignoring this request violates federal law.

Receiving frequent calls at inappropriate times like early morning or late evening adds undue stress. Debt collectors often call at these hours hoping to catch debtors off guard and force payment. Remember, per the FDCPA, you have the right to stipulate call times that don't interfere with work or sleep.

Don't hesitate to demand compliance if collectors ignore your requests. Reviewing your credit reports and account statements closely can help protect you, and knowing the statute of limitations in your state will inform you when debts become time-barred and unenforceable.

Publishing Debtor's Info to Publicly Shame

Some debt collectors resort to humiliating and shaming tactics to get debtors to pay up. This includes publishing private account details publicly or contacting third parties about who owes the debt.

Specific shaming tactics include:

• Posting names, contact info, or amounts owed on public forums - Collectors cannot legally divulge consumers' private information publicly without permission. This allows others to see it.
• Contacting neighbors about the debt to humiliate the debtor - Discussing account details with a consumer's neighbors or community crosses ethical and legal lines.
• Posting signs outside the debtor's home about unpaid debt - Any public notices about debt posted where others can see them are unlawful.
• Listing debtor's name in the newspaper for unpaid bills - Placing "deadbeat" ads or notices about overdue bills meant to shame is prohibited.

These public shaming methods deeply humiliate consumers and pressure them to pay, even if they can collect a debt that is disputed. However, collectors are never permitted to discuss debt publicly or with unauthorized third parties.

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