If you are contacted via telephone by a debt collector it is best not to discuss financial information until you verify their information. You should request them to send you the information in writing. After receiving the information review it and then respond back to them. Be courteous when communicating with them on the phone or in writing. It will build goodwill and allow for a better relationship.

The FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) has a set of guidelines that debt collectors must follow. Almost all debt collectors follow these rules but there are a few unethical ones out there. It is good to know these rules so if there is a problem you will know it right away. The following are the main things prohibited by the FDCPA.

Debt collectors are not allowed to do the following:

-Contact you before 8 AM or after 9 PM
-Use obscene or threatening language
-Make an intimidating amount of phone calls
-Make an implication that they work for or are an affiliate of the government
-Tell you that you can be arrested for non-payment of the debt
-Call you at work after they have been told it is not okay to do so by your employer

Do not be afraid to inform the debt collector of these things. This can be one of the best ways to get them to stop calling you.