A Debt Collector Called: What to Say and What Never to Say
A collector's job is to get a payment or an admission on the first contact. Yours is to slow the conversation down until you know what the debt is, who owns it, and whether it is still legally collectible.
Ask for validation, in writing
You have the right to request written validation of the debt. Do it within thirty days of first contact and collection has to pause until they produce it. Ask for the original creditor, the amount, and proof they own the account. A surprising number of accounts sold between agencies cannot survive that request.
Do not confirm and do not promise
Acknowledging that a debt is yours, or making a small good-faith payment, can restart the statute of limitations in many states. An old debt you were weeks from being free of becomes fully collectible again. Give no confirmations, agree to nothing, and take notes with the date, the name, and the company.
Never pay a collector from an account you use daily, and never over the phone on the first call.
What they cannot do
- Call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your time zone.
- Contact you at work after you tell them not to.
- Discuss your debt with relatives, neighbours, or your employer.
- Threaten arrest, or a lawsuit they have no intention of filing.
If you do settle, get the terms in writing before any money moves, including exactly how the account will be reported afterwards. A paid collection that stays on your report as unpaid is a second injury.
