If you owe money and the debt has been turned over to a debt collector, you are entitled to protections under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, or the FDCPA. This Act is designed to protect consumers from illegal collection tactics used by collection agencies. The provisions of the Act contain strict requirements with regard to the collector’s ability to contact third parties about your debt.
7 Parties That a Debt Collector May Contact About Money You Owe
While debt collectors typically cannot contact third parties and mention your debt, there are certain exceptions to this rule. Debt collectors may only contact the following parties:
- Your spouse
- Your parents, if you are a minor
- Your co-debtors
- The original creditor
- A credit reporting agency
- Your attorney
- A neighbor, but only to ask for location information on you. They cannot mention is is about a debt.
It is important to note that if you are represented by an attorney and the debt collector is aware of this fact, the collector can only communicate with your attorney unless you give him permission to contact you. The collector may also communicate with you if your attorney does not respond to the collector’s attempts to communicate.
In addition, while the debt collector may be entitled to contact the above parties about your debt, he must stop attempting to contact your spouse, parents, and co-debtors if you send a letter requesting that contact be ceased.
If you are being pursued by a debt collector who is disregarding the protections provided for under the FDCPA, we encourage you to contact us at 804-282-7900 for more information about protecting your legal rights.
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