How to Stop Collection Calls

If you’re thinking of changing your phone number to stop the harassing calls of creditors and collection agencies, you have other options. You don’t have to resort to hiding your identity while you try to get your finances straightened out. Instead, your rights are protected under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). However, even with your rights protected, you must know what they are and be firm with harassing callers.

State Your Preferences

Your first step in how to stop creditor calls is to simply tell them to stop calling. You are under no obligation to speak to a collector or creditor on the phone. Instead, tell the caller you prefer to communicate in writing and hang up. The creditor can do nothing about you hanging up on him. In fact, if he calls back repeatedly after this point, he is in violation of the FDCPA.

If you are able to communicate in writing, all messages sent to you including threats are clearly stated and will be permitted in courts should a case arise. Creditors prefer to call, however, because phone calls are not clear records – especially if they are walking the line of legality or breaking it all together.

Cease and Desist

Your next step in how to stop collection calls is to tell the collection agencies to cease and desist. You do this by sending a formal cease and desist letter stating the company should stop all forms of communication with you. The letter works only on collection agencies, however, not the original creditor.

Send the cease and desist letter via certified mail to ensure you have a record of its arrival. After receiving your letter, the collection company will be able to communicate one additional time via mail to tell you collection efforts have ceased, to tell you what they might do, or to tell you what they definitely plan to do about your debt. After the single letter, no additional contact may be made.

Easy Step By Step

• Tell all creditors and collection companies that you prefer to communicate in writing.
• Remember you are under no obligation to communicate over the phone with creditors and collectors.
• Send cease and desist letters to collection companies via certified mail.

Warnings, Advice, and Suggestions

It’s very important to keep clear records of your interaction with the companies calling. Keep a log of how many times a company calls you or request a copy of your phone records to document incoming calls. If companies persist past the bounds of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you can seek punitive action if you have enough evidence to back your claim.

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