I have a debt in collections which I don’t believe I owe. I tried disputing this with the credit card company but they wouldn’t budge. It was only $70 and I refused to pay it. It eventually got up to $300 and went onto collections. I know I should have paid it, but it’s too late now. Now I am getting debt collectors call from all sorts of numbers I previously had and they are disclosing I have a debt to numbers at previous work numbers, and are requesting my contact information. Is this legal? I feel really embarrassed about the people that let me know debt collectors were looking for me. I live in California,
Answer: (1)
Under California's Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors may contact persons other than the individual who owes a debt. Collectors who contact anyone other than the debtor, is not allowed to disclose the fact there is a debt owed. Discussions regarding debt is permissible only between four parties: 1) the individual, 2) creditor, 3) an attorney (either for the debtor or creditor), and 4) a credit bureau. Debt collectors must state their name and if asked, are permitted to say what agency they are calling from. Legally, in California, debt collectors may contact employers only to find debtors directly, to verify employment or business location, to garnish wages if there is a judgment against debtor or to determine if debtor has medical insurance to cover a medical bill.
If you are certain that debt collectors disclosed facts about the debt to your employer or anyone else, there are some available remedies to protect your consumer credit privacy and rights. Contact the California attorney general’s office or office of consumer protection for additional information.
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Posted by Staff Writer on 21 Jan 2010