Forms and Resources
When dealing with debt collection agencies, the most important thing to remember is you need to create a paper trail. It’s better to make more notes than less notes. When in doubt, write it down. get the person’s name, title, employee number, company name, shoe size, hair color, favorite food, etc. The more information you get the better your case will be if you have to sue (or worse, get sued.) That’s where this section comes in
Most people don’t know where to begin when protecting their rights and stopping telephone harassment from debt collectors. Well, here’s the best starting point. You’ll need 1 form and ultimately 2 letters.
The Telephone Conversation Log
This form is a simple record form for tracking the dates and times that a collection agency or bet buyer contacts you. You’ll want to keep track of this because a normal collection agency will call, and call, and call. If they call too many times in a day, then refer to the FDCPA. The main thing is you want to know who called, when, and what they said. That way, when the next person calls, you’ll know what the first person said. Trust me, if you don’t do this it will get confusing as all get out.
CLICK HERE to Download the Telephone call log in PDF format
The Debt Validation Letter
This letter is used to force a creditor, collection agency, or debt buyer to “validate” (or verify) a debt. Some of these turkeys will just call you and state that you owe a certain amount and harrass you until you break down and just pay it. You may not even owe a dime, but they’ll make your life hell until you pay. In my experience, sending this letter not only gets you up to 30 days of peace (there is no further collection activity allowed by law until they validate), but it also tells the low-lifes that you are not stupid. I’ve even sent this letter (certified mail of course) only to never hear from the collector again.
Feel free to copy all the text in the file, paste it into Word or another processor, and adjust it as you like.
CLICK HERE to Download the Debt Validation Letter in PDF format
The Cease and Desist Letter
This is the mother of all letters that guaranteed will stop ALL collections activity. Be careful when sending it, though. This type of letter essentially calls and forces the debt collector’s hand. Their next step is to either never contact you again, or to send you one final letter notifying you that they intend to sue you in court. In otherwords, it’s the “Put Up or Shut Up” letter. I look at it this way, if they decide to sue, I already probably have nothing else they can take, so I have nothing else to lose. Personal opinion though. You can’t get blood from a stone. Besides, if they do sue, I’d just go bankrupt and still never hear from them again.
CLICK HERE to Download a Sample Cease and Desist Communication Letter in PDF format