A debt collector must contact your
attorney, rather than you, if he
knows that you have retained one. If you
do not have an attorney, a debt collector
may contact other people, but only to find
out where you live, what your phone number
is, and where you work. Debt collectors
usually are prohibited from contacting such
third parties more than once. In most cases,
the debt collector may not tell anyone other
than you and your attorney that you owe
money.
Within five days
after you are first contacted,
the debt collector must send you a written
notice telling you the amount of money you
owe, the name of the creditor to whom you
owe the money, and what action to take if
you believe you do not owe the money.
A debt collector
may not contact you if you notify him,
within 30 days after you receive the written
notice, that you do not actually owe the
money being sought. However, a debt collector
can renew collection activities if he sends
you proof of the debt, such as a copy of
a bill for the amount owed.
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