If you are struggling with debt, you may already be frustrated with the situation. Something that would compound that feeling is if a debt collector starts calling you regularly. It may be annoying to have them call your personal phone, especially when you can’t set up a payment plan or take care of the debt, but something more irritating is if they begin calling your workplace.
Many people don’t realize that a debt collector can call them at work, even if that might make them look bad in the eyes of their management team or other colleagues. When they call, they could be putting your job at risk, which could hinder your ability to pay back what you owe.
Are there rules that debt collectors have to follow when calling you at work?
Yes, there are rules that they have to follow. To start with, they are governed by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. That act states what the collectors can or cannot do when trying to collect a debt from you.
One of the items that is covered is if they can call your workplace. While it’s allowed, debt collectors are not allowed to call you there if they already know that your specific employer disapproves of receiving collections calls. For some, their occupation will help prevent these calls, since the agent should safely assume you can’t take calls at work.
What can you do if a collector calls your workplace?
If a collections agent calls your workplace, let them know that they’ve called your work number the first time they call. Ask them not to call this number again.
Once you do this, they should not call you again. They are legally obligated to stop calling once you ask them to do so.
Not all collectors will stop, though. To help prevent issues, take down the date and time that you asked them to stop calling. Follow up by sending a letter to confirm that you do not want them to call. If they continue to call, then they may be in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and may be held accountable for continuing to contact you.