Debt collection generally works like this: a creditor who can’t devote the necessary time and resources needed to recover funds from old delinquent loans sells those debts to a collection agency, often for pennies on the dollar, to cut their losses a little. That agency, which now owns the debt, contacts consumers and tries to negotiate at least partial repayment.
Naturally, there are also con artists posing as debt collectors, attempting to obtain money, personal information, or both from victims. There are also collection agencies who stray from established, legal methods in order to collect legitimate debts. Here are six warning signs to watch for.
They’re trying to collect on a debt you don’t owe
Unscrupulous collectors will sometimes contact people with the same name as the actual debtor, or even settle for someone with a similar name. An outright scam artist might simply invent a debt out of thin air, or threaten random people in hopes that someone will pay out of sheer terror. In any case, never agree to pay a debt you don’t owe. Ask for a written validation notice. If they refuse, that’s a sign of trouble. Get as much information as you can about the agency, and report them to the FTC.
Important Note: collection calls for debts you didn’t incur can also be a signal that you have been a victim of identity theft. If you’ve received such a call, it may be time to check your credit report if you have not done so recently, to look for anything that shouldn’t be there.
They’re threatening you with arrest, lawsuits, or violence
For the most part, debt collectors are allowed to inform you that you owe a debt, provide proof that you owe it, state to whom the debt is owed, and present options for payment. They are not allowed to threaten you with arrest or legal action, and they’re especially not allowed to threaten physical harm to you or those around you.
They’re demanding personal information
Even if you actually owe money, there is no reason for them to ask for personal identifying information or account numbers over the phone. It’s one of the core rules of fraud and identity theft prevention: never reveal personal information to a stranger who contacted you out of the blue.
They won’t give you any information
If the caller won’t tell you the name of the agency, to whom the debt is owed, or anything else about whom he or she represents, be very suspicious. A legitimate collector will be transparent about these things, presumably because they want to actually collect on delinquent debts and stay in business, instead of being shut down by the FTC.
They’re calling in the middle of the night
This applies to a lot of other types of calls, but if they’re calling you before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., you have every reason to suspect either a scam or a rogue debt collector. There are rules about when they can contact you by phone. It’s kind of like putting yourself on the Do Not Call registry; if they’re already violating one rule, what else are they up to?
They keep calling after you’ve told them not to
Even if you’ve got a legitimate debt, you can still tell a collector to stop contacting you about it. Usually you will have to provide this request in writing, but once you do, they’re supposed to knock it off. Of course, if they won’t even provide an address to send said request to in the first place, you already know something is fishy.
Resources
Learn more about debt collection scams:
- https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0258-fake-debt-collectors
- https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-can-i-verify-whether-or-not-a-debt-collector-is-legitimate-en-1699/
Report a debt collector to the FTC:
- https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov (It’s under the “Credit & Debt” menu item)
File a complaint with the Indiana Attorney General’s Office: