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May 14, 2024 · A legitimate debt collector can tell you their company name and mailing address, as well as information about the debt they say you owe. The debt collector should provide information about themselves and their collection agency. This can be a helpful way to know more about the debt, as well as tell whether or not it’s a scam.
- Debt Collector Red Flag #1: They Don’t Identify Themselves. The first thing you can do to determine if the debt collection company contacting you is legitimate is request information about the caller.
- Debt Collector Red Flag #2: You’re Contacted About a Debt, but You Haven’t Received Prior Notice by Mail. If you have a legitimate debt that has been sent to a collection agency, the agency must send a formal written notice to your mailing address either before or within five days after the first call.
- Debt Collector Red Flag #3: The Caller Asks for Immediate Payment by Money Transfer or Prepaid Card. There are three ways scammers like to move money from your bank account to theirs
- Debt Collector Red Flag #4: The Caller Threatens To Reveal Your Debt to Others. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that prohibits creditors and debt collectors from threatening to tell others — including family members, co-workers, employers, or friends — about the debt they claim you owe.
Aug 13, 2024 · A legitimate collection agency will have all the details about your overdue debt, including the type of debt, who the creditor is, how much the debt is, when you started falling behind on your payments, and what the interest rate is, among others. If the debt collector is not able to provide you with any of these details, it’s most likely a scam.
- You will receive a written notice before a debt collector contacts you to collect the outstanding debt. The notice will include the collection agen...
- It’s important to get familiar with the signs of a fraudulent debt collector so you can avoid giving them personal information. If you’re contacted...
- Collection agencies can be persistent, despite your efforts to ignore their calls. While it’s possible that they may give up after a while, there’s...
- The collection agency can call your employer, but only for the purposes of getting your telephone number and address or to confirm your employment....
Mar 15, 2024 · Or call 1-888-863-8657 and verify the CRA did actually contact you. A debt collector calls you, says you owe money and demands repayment by wire transfer, rather than by cheque or online. The debt collector only allows you to make repayment through a wire transfer and doesn’t give other options.
- They pressure you. A credit collection scam might use scare tactics and threats to create a sense of urgency in hopes that you’ll act quickly. The scammer might also pull the emotional card, making you feel like a bad or irresponsible person.
- They won’t give you their contact information. Real debt collectors are from reputable companies with websites and reviews, and you can contact them if necessary.
- The debt isn’t yours. If the supposed debt collector is trying to strong-arm you into paying a debt you don’t recognize, you might have a scammer on your hands.
- You didn’t receive a letter in the mail. If a debt has gone to a debt collector, you should receive formal, written notification in the mail. If you’re contacted by someone who you suspect is a scammer, ask them for verification of the debt.
Oct 31, 2023 · These scam artists often use abusive and harassing tactics to frighten you into providing bank and other personal information while you falsely believe that you're paying real debts. It can be difficult to distinguish between a legitimate collection agency and a debt collector scam. So, be alert for red flags indicating the collection call you ...
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Receiving a call, email or letter from a company purporting to be a debt collector can spark alarm. Before disclosing any information, look for these eight signs of a fake debt collection scam. 1 ...
