Life is hard enough, if fired, divorce, injury or illness semi-vous with the billing, just not getting paid. It is even worse if the authorities need to start collecting.

But you should not start very phone ring. Or let you knock down, until you feel that America’s Most Wanted criminal. Yes, you have a debt of the money and repay your debt is worrying. But collectors with their work as a game and you’re much more collective, if you do too.

Follow our 10 steps for managing the recovery of the debt:

Step 1 Respond immediately.

Do not ignore debt collectors, even if you do not believe that the debt is yours. The agency is not to say stop, and if you do not respond, they can lead to a judgement against you. The result will cost you much time and effort over time.

Step 2 Know your rights.

You can loan money, but you always have a right to adequate treatment and protection of your privacy. The Confederation of exhibitions recovery Practices Act sets strict limits on how harassment must be packed in and with “10 Things Debt Collectors can not do,” she explains.

The only drawback is that these restrictions apply only to the collection of independent agencies, not the house-Billing services of banks or hospitals.

Step 3: Find out the facts.

By law, every collector must tell you, his name and on behalf of the organization for which he works. If you do not have a letter from the body recovery, tell him that you expect written follow-up with guidance on how they are demanding much more, thanks to you, the name of the original creditor and the measures to take if you do not believe that you keep the money.

4th stage Dispute inaccuracies.

If the debt is not with you, is the result of identity theft, has already been paid, or is it more than you think, your debt, you must write a dispute within 30 days at the office the first contact with you shortly. The written notice that you have received, within five days after the first contact should have instructions on the issue of debt.

Once connected, the agency should correct the inaccuracies or to prove that you are liable for the debts. There is no deadline for the Bureau of its investigation, but it can not resume the collection action, unless it is a confirmation of the debt.

Step 5 Document of each contact.

A protocol on the profession, and when. Apply many notes that everything is said and decided. And save everything – even voice messages via e-mail, even if all the promises and threats. All letters, or send the forms must be certified by e-mail receipt requested. Indeed, it is good, send a written confirmation about everything you need to later. Thus it was agreed payments, promises or threats, intimidation or rude remarks.

Step 6 Choose your strategy.

If the debt is legitimate, you have essentially two options for reading your hand.

Option 1 call your bluff. Send a letter to the Office (certified by e-mail, called receipt) say that they are no longer in contact with you shortly. Then he can not tell you again, just like him to continue. If you’re lucky, the Agency finds, it is not interesting to follow his time and that is the last you hear by the collector. If the bad luck of the Agency was defrauded. They are generally not, but there is no way to predict what route. The more you blame, and the more likely you money, the greater the risk to justice.

Option 2 Cut a Deal. In short collectors ask: “How do I go?” John (his real name) has eight months working for a collection agencies after college. Like many other agencies, the purchase of all its accounts, such as hospitals or credit cards could not collect that pay a certain percentage of what is due. (Other than the collection agencies, a commission based on the payment of what they can collect.)

The result is that they are often willing to negotiate a partial payment, because it is still a victory. Although the amount they are willing to accept varies, said John, just in general 30% to 50% of the debt.

You do not have to pay all at once. Incassobureau are usually open to the monthly payment. Just be sure that the Office sends the terms of the written form.

Step 7 buy some time.

If you do not agree on a refund, or have no money for a serious offer, the collector in a queue request – an automated system to verify that pesters repeating at intervals regular.

John said that the best way to temporarily stop a collector is needed for a promise to pay – even though it is an insignificant amount of $ 20, you must be a queue of at least a week, maybe even a month.

But it is important that all promise you. On John’s office, collectors supplements were established on the basis and total dollars collected and a promise-to-pay-cons report dollar. So if you have a promise of payment and failure to meet the collector will be punished for it – and is assured, much less that the intervention of the next time he calls.

Step 8 The rules for determining when and how to contact you.

Does not matter if you are serious negotiations or to buy, you have the right to say that the collector not to call in the workplace, there are 8 hours or after 9 pm, you can also all calls and correspondence by your attorney.

Step 9 Find the correct form of assistance.

If you do not blame, with calls and can not on a repayment plan is the time to seek help from outside. Be careful in business, because outside, promise a simple solution to the debt – credit of the repair of such “doctors” intermediaries and debt at the end often more harm than good. The best place to assist in making contact with a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. They work with the creditors calls to stop harassment and negotiate repayment of a realistic plan, attributes a large portion of your debts, all for a reasonable fee.

Step 10 Se complain about each agency cancels the law.

If debt collectors, they’re calling. You can use the images of the agencies in connection with the laws of your country, the Attorney-General, the Federal Trade Commission and a local lawyer specialized in the fight against the bill collectors. Click here for more information on the collection of inaccurate reports agencies.

It is important to know what is happening, the receipt of the said rule agencies information about your delinquency. The debt is regarded as a “European account, including the amount and whether it was paid. Even if the full amount, it will not be automatically on your report, although must be updated to” pay “.

They should also know that if one considers that they accept less than the total amount of the debt, the amount that they have been May, always on your report as a claim failures. But you can try to negotiate what they refer, as you negotiate the terms of a payment. (Again, you will get written).

Apart from this we see what happens in your report that you already have an account in the collection will appear on your credit report for seven years.