| Can a collection agency contact my family or friends? |
|
Yes. When you sign for a loan or other service that requires payments, you usually have to provide "references." The purpose of the references is so that in the event the company you owe is unable to contact you, they have a source to attempt to obtain your new location/information. They company/collection agency is prohibited from disclosing that they are a collection agency, that you owe a debt, or any other personal information. It is common for the representative on the other end to simply state that they cannot divulge any details and/or that it is in regards to a business matter. If the company/collection agency does divulge this information, then they are in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ยง804, which states how a information may be obtained about a debtor. |
