Q: I've been ill and unable to pay my bills on time, and I get tons of harassing collection calls every day.

A: If a debt collector is calling you, you have a right under the Fair Debt Collection Procedures Act to request no contact. The request must be in writing. You can find more information about this here: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/are-there-laws-that-limit-what-debt-collectors-can-say-or-do-en-329/

Here is information from the Michigan Attorney General’s Office on the same topic:

https://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-359-81903_20942-238041--,00.html

If it is an original creditor who is calling you, they do not have to follow the FDCPA. They cannot use deception or coercive or harassing tactics, but as long as they are operating within the law the only way to stop that would be to file bankruptcy.

As always, you get what you pay for. Be sure to talk to a qualified attorney about your specific situation before choosing to rely on any information you get from Internet discussion boards, such as this one.

A: Collection calls can be stressful. As hard as it is, you should have a plan. As outlined by the other attorney, you can send cease and desist letters to any or all debt collectors. However sometimes it is difficult to determine who is who when you are bombarded by multiple collectors. One good way to get organized is to order your credit report. You can get free reports annually at www.annualcreditreport.com.

When you receive the credit reports, you will see most of your debt collection accounts there, along with the names and addresses of the debt collectors. This is a good way to start. And of course if any of the collection calls are harassing in nature you should contact a local FDCPA lawyer.