It is illegal for debt collectors to harass you or abuse. For example, they may not:
- Use threats of violence or harm,
- Publish your name as a person who refuse to pay its debts , but the debt collector can give this information to the credit reporting agencies,
- Use profane language or repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.
It is illegal for debt collectors to make false statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:
- Falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives,
- Falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company,
- Misrepresent the amount your debt,
- Indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren’t, or
- Indicate that papers they send to you aren’t legal forms if they are.
Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:
- You will be arrested if you don’t pay your debt,
- They’ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages. Such action requires a judgment from the court, or
- Legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don’t intend to take the action.
Debt collectors may not:
- give false credit information about you to anyone,
- send you anything that looks like an official court document