New Debt Collector Rule For Contacting You

Working with a debt collector can be a hassle for anyone. If you have ever owed a debt, you might have received debt collector calls at some point to collect the money you owe. It may not even be your original creditor who is contacting you. Typically after 180 days of your original collector trying to reach you, they sell your debt to a collection agency.

But what happens when debt collectors contact you through text, email, or DM on social media?

According to a piece by Joe Hernandez on npr.org, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently approved a new rule. This allows debt collectors to email, text, and DM you on social media to collect debts owed. 

Debt collector limits

This new rule can sound scary, however, with the help of The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), there are still limits that debt collectors have to follow. The FDCPA was established in 1977 to help keep debt collectors from harassing of any kind in the collections process.

Here are a few changes and limitations according to the new rule that went into effect in late 2021:

Debt collector changes and limitations

This new rule allows for debt collectors to reach you in more ways than just calling.

• They are allowed to text, email, and DM you on social media without receiving consent from the consumer.
• The creditor must identify themselves as a debt collector and must provide detailed disclosures about the debt that they are trying to obtain.
• They must also give you the option to opt out of being contacted in any way.
• Debt collectors are not allowed to reach you if there is any possibility it will be seen by others. Any messages and information must be sent privately and kept between you and the creditor.
• The new rule limits debt collectors to 7 attempts to reach you per week for each debt.

How to respond if you have debt in collections

Responding to debt collectors has never been an easy thing to do. Now with this new rule, it doesn’t make it any easier. If you have debt in collections and are being contacted by debt collectors, it is important to not ignore the issue. The sooner you deal with the situation the easier it will be to resolve. 

Most people with credit cards, medical bills, and loan debt are too afraid to answer the debt collector’s calls because they don’t know what to say or what will happen. 

Ways for you to deal with this new rule and creditors. 

• Do your research first. 

• • • Sometimes we receive spam phone calls that scare us into thinking about the worst possible situation. It is important to do your research before contacting the creditor who has been calling you. Make sure to check your credit report to find out any information on your debt and who the original creditor is.

• Cooperate with your creditor. 

• • • It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and ignore your creditors. Staying in touch with your creditor will show that you are making the effort to deal with the situation. If the situation gets out of your control you can also call off the creditor. In most cases, a creditor must stop contacting you if you request them to do so.  

• Reach out to a professional to help you clear your debt

• • Looking into debt relief options is a good place to start when you feel like you have no options. There are many debt relief options available such as,
    • Debt management
    • Debt settlement/ Debt negotiation 
    • Debt consolidation
    • Bankruptcy

How debt in collections affects your credit score

Your credit score is important for many factors. It is what every lender looks at before deciding to loan you money. It is also the primary factor that determines the interest rate creditors will charge you. Your credit score is an overall number of your credit history. The lower your score the higher the risk of being denied a loan or given a high-interest rate.

Having any kind of debt, especially a debt in collections can affect your credit score. It is important to take control of the situation before credit reporting companies, also known as credit bureaus, receive any derogatory marks from your creditors. Once a debt has gone into collections it will stay on your credit report for seven years even once it has been paid off. 

Seek professional help to resolve your debt quickly and start repairing your credit score. 

Roundleaf Inc. is not a collection agency

Roundleaf Inc. is different from debt collectors in that we are on your side. Creditors tend to be very rude and negative. They seem to forget that people fall on hard times and they simply ignore the fact that people still have to provide for basic needs. Roundleaf recognizes this fact and we work with you in a friendly and stress-free manner. 

It is well documented that debt leads to high stress. Stress clouds your daily life and prevents you from moving forward and conquering your goals. Working with Roundleaf is like having a professional tour guide, we hold your hand while you navigate through the process and avoid many of the common pitfalls. 

Time is money. We work with you to help you save time and money. So you can focus your valuable time on making money and pursuing your ultimate goals. 

Roundleaf Inc. will analyze your debt to see if we can negotiate a settlement with your creditors and help you get out of debt. Follow us on social media for daily tips and tricks!

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