Demand validation first
Within 30 days of a collector's first contact you can demand written validation. Until they provide it, they must stop collection activity. Many purchased debts have no supporting documentation at all — which is why validation demands produce deletions.
What collectors are prohibited from doing
- Calling before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., or at your job after being told to stop.
- Threatening arrest, wage garnishment, or lawsuits they cannot legally pursue.
- Misstating the amount, age, or legal status of the debt.
- Discussing your debt with third parties.
- Re-aging the debt to make it look newer than it is.
The Bottom Line
If a collector cannot prove it, it does not belong on your report. We make them prove it.