Q: How to respond to a collecting agency mail letters and calls?
A:
Keep track of all calls and letters, and any other form of contact, including any efforts to contact you or your employer at work. Applicable laws may entitle you to make a successful claim against the collector.
If you engage counsel, a simple letter from you or counsel to the collector can require the collector to harass only your attorney.
Is the debt valid? You can object to its validity, in writing, within thirty days of first contact. If you do, the collector will verify the debt with the original creditor. Use caution, as anything you say can be used against your interests in court.
Most collectors are just that; they do not have in-house counsel and cannot bring suit (if they threaten suit, you may have an additional claim against them).
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