Can a Collector Contact You at Work

Dec 22, 2010

Can a Collector Contact a Consumer at Work
by: Mary

Thanks for getting in touch.

The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) says that if you tell a collector that your employer does not want you contacted at work and the collector continues to call you there, the collector has violated that law. It's always best to put any request you make to a debt collector in writing however so you have proof that you made the request. Therefore, if your employer doesn't want you contacted on the job, put that information in writing immediately, make a copy of your letter for your files and mail the letter to the debt collector. Send it certified mail with a return receipt requested.

It's possible that the phone calls to your cell and your home after you told the debt collector not to contact you at work would be considered harassment, which is also illegal under the FDCPA. I cannot say for sure because I don't know all of the circumstances related to those calls and because I am not an attorney. Therefore you may want to contact a consumer law attorney in your area who handles debt collection cases. Find out how to get FREE or low cost legal advice about debt collection from a consumer law attorney here. In light of the calls you've been getting at work and the subsequent calls to your cell and home phones, you have grounds for legal action against the collector.

As for whether the collector can ask you how much you earn per hour, the law does not prohibit him from asking you that question, but at the same time, you are not legally required to answer the question. In fact, you should not provide a debt collector with any information about your finances, your bank accounts, and so on.

Given all of the problems that you are having with the collector, I recommend that you get up to speed on your federal debt collection rights by purchasing a copy of the book I wrote with Gerri Detweiler, Debt Collection Answers: How to Use Debt Collection Laws to Protect Your Rights. You canread the first chapter of Debt Collection Answers online for free.

Please share what happens with your situation in the comments section for this question. We are very interested in hearing how this turns out for you, and your experience can help others who are struggling with debt collectors.

Can a Collector Contact You at Work

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Can a Collector Contact You at Work