What practices are prohibited by debt collectors?
Debt collectors are not allowed to use the following harassing or abusive tactics:
* Use of or threatening violence or criminal means to harm you;
* Use of obscene or profane language;
* Advertising your debt for sale;
* Telephoning you repeatedly or continuously with the intent to annoy or harass; or
* Placing telephone calls without meaningful disclosures of their identity.
Likewise, debt collectors are not allowed to deceive consumers with the following:
* False representations that they are government representatives;
* Falsely represent that they will seize, garnish or sell any property or wages unless such action is lawful;
* False representations that you have committed a crime or that you will be arrested or imprisoned;
* Threats to communicate false credit information with any other person;
* Falsely implying that the debt collector is employed by a credit bureau;
* False representations implying that they are attorneys or that there is the involvement of an attorney in collecting a debt;
* Falsely indicating the legal status of papers or forms sent to you;
* Use of a false name;
* Misrepresenting the amount of the debt; or
* Sending you something resembling an official document from a court or governmental agency when it is not.
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