From DaveRamsey.com…..
There’s a specific kind of dread that happens when you get a call from a number you don’t recognize, but you know who it is. It comes with that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach combined with a mixture of fear, shame, anxiety, and probably even a hefty dose of anger or annoyance. That’s right—it’s a debt collector calling again. Besides annoying the heck out of you and interrupting dinner, what can debt collectors do? And at what point does annoying turn into harassing?
Debt collectors and collection agencies aren’t known for their glowing reputations. It’s a safe bet that they’re more disliked than Congress and Nickelback combined. And with around 70 million people with bills in collections, that’s a whole lotta unhappy folks.1 Debt collection tactics, which are supposed to follow guidelines set under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), are shady and overwhelming at best and manipulative and illegal at worst.
But you don’t have to fall prey to their schemes. Today, what debt collectors can do to secure payment is a lot more limited than it used to be. So before you pony up a cent, make sure you understand what debt collectors can do.
