Looking for the 11 word phrase to stop debt collectors? In December 2023, millions of Americans are facing the massive problem of rising personal debts. Many millennials have a goal to retire early. However, the growing debt is becoming a major hurdle in their goal. They are looking to get rid of these debts to focus on their retirement.
For many people, debt is not a big issue, but dealing with debt collectors drains their energy. Frequent calls from debt collectors throughout the day can put a strain on your mental health. These people call us from time to time at work and home and it can be difficult dealing with them.
Many people deal with their debt problems by choosing a debt settlement option to conveniently reduce their debt. However, the never-ending calls from debt collectors can be really annoying.
Therefore, to help you out, we will discuss the 11-word phrase to stop debt collectors from calling. In addition, we will cover the do’s and don’ts and let you know the appropriate measures to ensure these collectors do not contact you.
What is the 11 word phrase to stop debt collectors in December 2023?
Debt collectors can sometimes make our lives miserable by giving us calls repeatedly. It can be during work, on weekends, and even late at night. If you want the collectors to stop calling you, then you can use this 11 word phrase “Please put an end to all calls with me right away.”
There is no exact 11-word phrase that can stop debt collectors from calling you. Credit guru John Ulzheimer advised in Larry King’s show that people should ask debt collectors to contact them in writing. This quickly became a gimmick for bloggers and influencers, who started using the 11-word phrase to gain attention.
While it might seem like a good idea to avoid calls from your debt collector, you must not ignore summons or notices from the court. It means the debt collector is now involving the court in the matter, and you will be avoiding them.
If that is not the case, then you can use the following ways to stop debt collectors from calling you.
Ways to Stop Debt Collectors from Calling You
There are firm laws regarding protecting consumers from any sort of harassment for any agency or company. So, if you are getting calls from a debt collector, here are some ways you can get them to stop calling you.
Tell them Communicate in Writing
One of the best ways to get debt collectors from calling you is by telling them to send you all the details in writing. It is then the debt collector’s responsibility to send you everything in writing.
You also have a clear advantage in case if the matter goes to court as you will have all the evidence you need. As a result, the judgment of the case can be in your favor.
Send Them a Cease and Desist Letter
Sending a cease and desist letter is the most effective technique to prevent debt collectors from contacting you. The statement should specify that the collector must refrain from contacting you in the future. This letter will be applicable to all third-party debt collectors operating on behalf of your original debtor.
Once you have sent them the cease and desist letter, the debt collector will either stop contacting you or will send you everything in writing. Other than the 11 word phrase, it’s a sure way to stop debt collectors from calling you.
Talk to an Attorney
Another solution to the problem of continuous debt collectors is to contact an attorney. They can give your advice regarding how to proceed and deal with the annoying calls from debt collectors in a legal way.
Know Your Rights
If you are continuously getting calls from debt collectors even after telling them to stop contacting you, they are violating the rules set by the FDCPA. You can take legal action against them. But before doing so, make sure your knowledge about rights from the FDCPA.
Guidelines by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
If the debt collector tries to violate the rules and regulations set by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), individuals have the right to act against them. Here are some of the guidelines set by the FDCPA for debt collectors to follow:
- Cannot contact anyone apart from the hours 8 AM to 9 PM
- Repeatedly calling is not allowed
- Use of abusive language
- Coming and disturbing individuals at their workplace
- Give a threat of making the debt public, use of violence, or arrest
Knowing these guidelines can help you make a strong case against your debt collector. If you win the lawsuit under the FDCPA, the debt collector must pay for your lawyer’s fees and other damages.
What are some other ways debt collectors can violate the FDCPA?
Apart from the FDCPA guidelines mentioned in the article, there are a few other rules that debt collectors have to follow. If they don’t, it will be counted as a violation. Here is a list of some of the things that violate the FDCPA rules and regulations:
- False representation by the debt collector by presenting themselves as a representative, employee, or by showing affiliation with the United States or any State agency
- A false representation of the actual amount a person owes
- Implying the information is coming from an attorney, or the debt collectors themselves are an attorney
- Claiming that in case of no payment, the debt collector can arrest, seize any of their property and sell it, or deduct any amount from wages
- Threats to take any legal action that is not possible
- Wrongfully using the name of a consumer reporting agency to show that they are an employee or have any affiliation with them.
What to Do When You Receive Debt Collector’s Calls?
If you choose to communicate with a debt collector on the phone, there are few things you need to keep in mind.
Verify the Debt
The most important thing is to find out if the debt is yours. Debt collection companies sometimes make the blunder of confusing one person with another. This confusion often happens due to the same names, birthdays, or addresses. Therefore, it would be best to verify if the debt is yours before proceeding further.
Also, get all the relevant details from the debt collector. For example, the balance of the debt, the interest incurred, other fees, etc. You can ask about the details of the debt collector as well.
Also, you need to ask them to send everything in writing to you as per the requirements of The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Once every detail about the debt is in writing, individuals can proceed according to the situation.
If the debt is yours, it is better to go for a debt settlement option than dealing with a debt collector.
Keep a Record of All your Communications with the Debt Collector
Another imperative thing to do when a debt collector calls you is to maintain a record of everything. Individuals don’t necessarily have to record the entire conversation. All they have to do is keep a record of a few things, and it will be more than enough.
Keeping documentation will make it easy to remember when and what the debt collector was calling about. If the debt collector leaves any text messages or voicemails with a threatening tone, keep them to use it in a countersuit.
Also, note key takeaways each time someone from the debt collector company calls. Ask their name and check if there are any inconsistencies in what they say. It is a piece of vital evidence to prove that the debt collectors have irregularities in what they are claiming.
Provide Current Address to the Collector
While many individuals avoid giving out their personal information, it may not be ideal in some cases for them. The debt collectors will look for other ways to find you. In addition, they will have a leeway when it comes to legal issues. They can present this issue in court or use this point to contact your current employer, friends, and family.
However, if you give them your current address, you will stop them from disturbing your friends and family. In addition, it will be a great way for individuals to build a relationship of trust between them and the debt collector.
Doing so will also ensure you do not miss any summons or notices from the court. Missing a summon is an offense, and if it is going to the wrong address, you will be missing them. Therefore, it is vital to give the current address to get all the notices from the court at your current location.
Check Credit Reports
People can be subject to fraud and other threats, such as identity theft. It can lead to fraudulent accounts or loans under the name of any person they are not aware of. Therefore, it is best to check the credit report from time to time to find out about any such issues. The best way to do it is by getting the report from the three credit reporting bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. These three agencies give an extensive idea about the history of the individual’s loans and bank accounts.
You can tell debt collectors that you will not pay the debt if you feel that you do not owe the debt or if it is not legitimate. Debt collectors cannot proceed if individuals present them a voluntary cease collection on the debt with a valid reason. Doing so also makes sure debt collectors check and validate the debt before contacting for collection.
Be Honest about your Financial Situation
If you want to be honest about your situation, you can tell the collector that you don’t have enough funds to pay the debt. Although there is a chance that the debt collector will still pursue the debt collection, it may convince them to hold off for a while.
By having a clear idea about your financial situation, the debt collectors will know that you cannot make any payments for the time being. Therefore, they will most likely move on to a different creditor instead of bothering you. Also, it will save you from litigation as the collector might not refer your case for a lawsuit.
However, it is best not to admit anything regarding the debt or commit to resuming your payments. It will restart the statute of limitations.
What Not to Do When You Receive Debt Collector Calls
Before we move on to the don’ts of receiving debt collector calls, one of the best ways to find if you have too much debt is through a Debt to Income Ratio. Let’s look at the few things that people should not do when speaking to their debt collectors.
Avoid Giving Personal Information
While individuals can provide their current address, they should not give any extra personal information apart from that. Even if the debt collector insists, individuals can avoid giving away their details, such as social security number, bank account, or employer details.
Also, it is highly recommended not to pay the debt collector any payments just to get rid of them as it can restart the statute of limitations. Even if the debt collector gives all the details about the debt, individuals should not admit whether it is their debt and its validation.
If you give out personal information like bank accounts, the collector will use it for bank levy or wage garnishment in case they get the judgment in their favor.
Don’t Make Any Promises
The last thing you want to do is commit to something with debt collectors on the phone without a proper record. Even if you know that you own the debt, you should not concede to it and refrain from the acknowledgment of the loan, as it will revive the statute of limitations.
Don’t discuss anything about making or starting any payments for the debt. If you are going through any debt settlement option, tell the debt collectors about it without giving away any further details.
Avoid Losing your Temper
Debt collectors might use harsh or abusive language on the phone. If you do the same and use foul language on the call, you will open yourself to many issues. Therefore, it is critical not to lose the temper when dealing with the debt collector.
Resorting to screaming and using profanity will make it worse and lead to multiple problems. If the matter goes to court, the phone recordings will show the person as hostile, which is not ideal and could lead to unfavorable results. Losing your temper could also cause you to give away information that could be used against you.
By keeping a calm demeanor and attitude, people can deal with the situation cautiously. It will help them understand the reason for the call and not give out any information. If the debt collector loses their temper and you don’t, you will have the upper hand.
Do not Make any Payments to the Debt Collectors
No matter what the situation is, there is no need to make a payment to the debt collector. Debt collectors might scare or give the callers the option to make a voluntary ‘Good Faith” payment. They will pretend that this payment will help you set good credibility with the lenders.
However, the payment will only extend the statute of limitations, which will come into effect when you start to make a payment. Regardless of whether the amount is small or large, it can restart the statute of limitations in most states.
Also, if the debt collectors assure that they will not sue in case of minimal payment, that may not be true. The debt collector can still sue even if they pay a minimum amount. Thinking the payments will prevent any litigations is a misconception that many people have.
If you are looking for a debt settlement option, you can mention it to the debt collector if they are getting too persistent. Doing so may get them off your back for a while.
Takeaway
As per a report by Federal Reserve, the debt of American households is $14.6 trillion in 2021. More than 340 million people are dealing with the crisis. These people most likely receive calls and messages from numerous debt collectors and debt collection companies daily.
And debt collectors can become an emotional and financial burden for many people. They can disturb people constantly by calling them at unfeasible times. So, you can use the 11 word phrase, or any of the above-mentioned ways above stop debt collectors from contacting you.
When speaking with your debt collectors, you must consider a few things so they don’t end up against you in court. It is much better to deal with them as per the dos and don’ts mentioned in the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dealing with debt collectors is a hectic and challenging task, and people going through it will be having many questions in their minds. Here are some of the frequently asked questions regarding dealing with debt collectors.
Where can I learn about my legal rights regarding debt collectors?
There are rights that individuals have (Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) to prevent debt collectors from harassing, burdening, or disturbing them. These rights cannot be violated by any of the debt collecting companies.
You can learn about these rights by going on to their website. You must have a comprehensive understanding of the statute of limitations and other things that debt collectors can do.
How many times can a debt collector call before it can turn into harassment?
There is no set number of debt collection phone calls that will be considered harassment under federal law. The debt collector can call you as long as you do not feel like it’s a disturbance or harassment.
So, once you feel debt collectors are interfering and disturbing you too much, you can take relevant measures to stop them from calling. The creditor has the authority to tell the debt collector to avoid calling.
On the other hand, the debt collector is prohibited from calling the borrower frequently or constantly to irritate, insult, or threaten them.
The debt collector has to stop making calls to the debtor once they decide to ask them to cease contact in writing. Failure to do so can land the debt collectors into a lawsuit under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)
What’s the time limit for debt collectors to respond to debt validation letters?
There is no set period for debt collectors to respond to the debt validation letters. It can take as long as 30 days for debt collectors to respond to the debt validation request. As per the FDCPA, the collectors can take as long as the debtor’s statute of limitations is running.
What happens if an individual chooses to avoid debt collectors?
Avoiding debt collectors in the digital era is simply impossible. One way or another, the debt collectors will find you in one of the following ways:
- By contacting your friends and family
- By finding out about your current or previous employers
- Or, by sending your a summon from the court
There will be many other factors that you need to consider if you choose to ignore calls from debt collectors. Here are a few of them:
- Your credit score will see a significant impact
- You will be not sure about the steps the debt collector will take against you accruing fees, and interest payments can add up your debt
- The debt collector can sue as well
- Family and friends will also get into problem
In case of a lawsuit, the debt collector can leverage your avoidance in their favor. As a result, they have a better chance of getting the judgment in their favor.
So, it is best for you to use the ways mentioned above to stop them from contacting you. It will give them no excuse to keep on contacting you and they will only contact you via email.
Will paying a debt collector have an impact on my credit score?
Yes, it will. If you choose to pay a debt collector company, it can lead to a devastating impact on your credit score.
The credit scoring framework, VantageScore and FICO take into account the money you pay to debt collectors when calculating your credit score. Hence, it can influence your credit score. Therefore, it is ideal to deal with the lender directly rather than paying a debt collector.
This article 11 Word phrase to stop debt collectors originally appeared on Rick Orford - Helping You Invest In Yourself.