When facing mountains of debt that you cannot overcome, the last thing in the world you want to deal with on top of that is the hounding of a debt collector. Unfortunately, debt collectors are not always known for their kind methods of handling debtors, either.
In addition to classic harassment tactics, debt collectors may also implement misinformation and miscommunication in order to get what they want. Thus, it is something for you to keep an eye out for.
Manipulation of information
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau discusses misrepresentation on the part of the debt collector. These are intentional incidents in which a debt collector tries to manipulate information or situations in order to get what they want: your money.
For example, a debt collector may lie and state that they have attorneys on their team when they do not. They might say they have involved the police and have a warrant out for your arrest when that is not the case. They lie like this in order to prompt you into quick action, trying to wring money out of you that you may not have.
Misrepresented facts to scare you
They may also misrepresent the amount of money you owe for the same reason. By making your situation seem direr, they expect you to go to greater lengths and act more quickly in order to fix it. In reality, all it does is create more stress for you, and they do not even take these measures legally.
If you suspect your debt collector has resorted to misrepresentation, consider contacting legal help to learn more about your options.
