National Processing Services

Business Consumer Alliance warns consumers to be on alert for scam artists posing as debt collectors. You have rights under federal and state law. Collection agencies may not make any of the following threats against you:

-To use physical force or violence, or any other criminal means to harm you, your property, or your reputation.
-To accuse you of committing a criminal offense if you don't pay, when the accusation would be false.
-To assign the debt to a third person and to represent that this would cut off a defense, or to garnish your wages, seize your property or arrest you, unless they can legally and intend to do it.
-To communicate to anyone, information (other than nonpayment of the debt) that will defame you.
-To take any other action that cannot legally be taken or that is prohibited by law, or to threaten any action they do not actually intend to take.
-To take possession of your property by non-judicial action unless they actually intend to do it. (Of course, they may also not make such a threat if there is no enforceable security interest or if the property is, by law, exempt from such taking.)
-To communicate credit information about you that they know, or should know, is false.

The debt collector should be able to provide proof of the debt in writing.

For more information on debt collectors and your rights visit BCA's resporce guide "How to Deal With a Collection Agency".