The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) outlines a set of regulations that debt collection agencies should follow in order to prevent harassment. Under this act, there are several restrictions for how and when these agencies should contact you including:
- Not contacting you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
- Not contacting you at work if you have requested this in writing.
- Not harassing the debtor in any form including threats of harm, using obscene language, or repeated contact by phone in an effort to annoy the debtor.
- Not making false statements or misleading the debtor about their identity or the debt.
Debt collectors should always notify you of their identity when you receive a call, and they are required to provide you with verification of the debt if requested. If you would like to find out more about the regulations outlined in the FDCPA, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s website.
