How to Stop Collection Agencies While Single & Unemployed

Collection agencies are responsible for collecting money from debtors who have fallen behind on payments or appear likely to default on what they owe. People in high amounts of debt are often frustrated by being constantly annoyed by these agencies on a daily basis. This is especially a problem if the debtor is currently between jobs and unable to make any payments Though it is near impossible to do away with collection calls completely, there are some steps a debtor can take to reduce the amount.

Instructions

1

When the collection agencies call, inform them of your situation and ask if there was any way you can figure out a plan to repay your debt. If it is appropriate, mention that you are considering bankruptcy. Debt collectors simply want their money, so they are much more likely to deal with someone if they think there is a possibility they will actually get little to none of their money in bankruptcy negotiations.

2

If they are unwilling to make a deal or are being unreasonable, inform them that you no longer want them to call your home, and make it clear you do not have any ability or intention to pay for the time being. Sometimes this will work, as a company does not want to waste time pursuing a bad loan.

3

If the collection agency continues to call, send them a letter by certified mail that informs them you do not want them calling your phone. In most jurisdictions it is considered harassment if they ignore such a letter and continue to call, and can face prosecution for such behavior.

4

Consider filing a no-contact order to prevent further contact through phone. Agencies can continue to contact you through the postal service, but telephone service is legally protected from unwanted contact.

5

Consider using a debt consolidation program. These can offer consolidating all your debt into one simple payment, thus reducing many debt holders to one. At the very least this can limit the harassing phone calls to a single party.