www.ftc.gov Time Barred Debt Site Consumer Alert for Dealing with Collectors

You can check the collection period in your state at www.naag.org Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a debt collector generally is any person or organization that regularly collects debts owed to others. The term includes lawyers who collect debts for others on a regular basis, but it does not include creditors collecting their own debts. 

Can a debt collector continue to contact you about a time-barred debt you don’t think you owe? According to the law, if you send the debt collector a letter stating that you do not owe some or all of the money within 30 days after you receive written notice of a debt, the collector must stop trying to collect until you’ve been given written verification of the debt, like a copy of the bill for the amount you supposedly owe. The collector can renew collection activities once you’ve gotten proof of the debt. 

You can also stop debt collectors from contacting you about any debt, regardless of whether you owe it, by writing a letter telling them to stop contacting you. If in any case, the debt collectors still continue to contact you, harass you or sue you, you can always contact FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or file a complaint online at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov