Debt collectors may fall short of carting you off to jail, but there are several less extreme steps they can take in order to collect what may be owed. Here are seven things they generally can do and a few things to know about your own rights. 

Maybe you’ve gotten the call: Someone says they are collecting on a debt you owe and if you don’t agree to pay on the spot, the police will show up to cart you off to jail. Hopefully, if you have been on the receiving end of such a call, you weren’t coerced by the scammer to hand over vital financial information.  Real or not, getting a call from a debt collector can cause a great deal of anxiety. Make sure you know how to spot these debt collection red flags so fear doesn’t cause you to pay for what you don’t owe. Quick Facts on Debt Collection Debt collection can occur when a creditor sells the debt you owe to

As if debt wasn’t confusing and frustrating enough as it is, there are times it can be bought and sold almost like any other product. When that happens, what does it mean for you, your payments, and the progress you’ve made in paying down your debt?

If you’ve got debt collectors calling, you might feel stuck in a phone loop that offers you no rights or abilities to end the cycle — but you do have rights. Here are seven things debt collectors aren’t allowed to do, and what you can do if they’re pushing the boundaries of the law.

So, you’ve been getting calls from a debt collector. What now? Believe it or not, all hope isn’t lost when you’ve had an account go to collections. Read on to learn how to deal with a debt collections agency and get your finances back on track.

Sometimes you know it’s coming, like when an unexpected medical bill goes unpaid for a little too long. And other times it’s a total shock, like when that unpaid library fine comes back to haunt you years later. Either way, finding out you have debt in collections can be a frustrating and scary situation — especially if it comes with a firestorm of unwanted phone calls and letters from debt collectors. One of the worst parts of dealing with a debt collector is that it can be hard to tell when they’re legitimate and when they’re not. You might find yourself wondering, “How do I know if I owe these people? Do I get proof that it’s really mine? Really,