Do I have to pay this collection agency or the original debtor? I looked up on the FTC website and it said that collection agencies cannot call before 8am.
Debt collector called me at 7:30am by: Debtcollectionanswers.com
When a debt collector calls you before 8 AM or after 9PM it is violating the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). If the collector calls you again at times that are prohibited by law, I recommend you politely let the collector know that he is violating federal law.
If the collector continues to break the law, you may want to set up an appointment with a consumer law attorney in your area who helps consumers resolve their debt collection problems to get advice about what to do next -- your first appointment should be free. Find out how to get FREE or low cost legal advice about debt collection from a consumer law attorney here.
Meanwhile, print copies of our Free Debt Collection Worksheetand use the worksheet to keep a record of the collector's calls. If you end up taking legal action against the collector because he has continued to break the law, the information on the worksheet could be invaluable to you.
As for who you must pay, the collector who is calling you has either been hired by the original creditor to collect what you owe or the original creditor sold your debt to the collector. Either way, you must deal with the collector now.