When a debt becomes past due, most creditors send the account to a debt collector. Bill collection agencies often specialize in digging up information about you and in some cases use this information to harass you. Fortunately, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a law that protects people from the harassment of debt collectors.
Here are some of the items that are prohibited by the FDCPA:
Contacting consumers by phone outside the hours of 8:00 am to 9:00 pm local time.
Failure to cease communication upon request
Calling repeatedly and attempting to engage in conversation with intent to annoy, abuse or harass any person at the called number.
Communicating with consumers at their place of employment after having been advised IN WRITING that this is not acceptable.
Threatening arrest or legal action that is either not permitted or not actually contemplated.
The law protects you, regardless of whether or not you owe the debt. It is possible to not only stop debt collector harassment, but enforce financial penalties on collectors who break the law.