If you shudder every time your phone rings, you may be on a creditor’s call list. After all, debt collectors constantly call individuals to try to get them to pay. Regardless of whether you can settle your outstanding debt, you do not have to put up with creditor harassment over the phone.
Because you simply cannot give up your phone, you may want to develop a strategy for dealing with phone calls from debt collectors. To form this strategy, you need to know precisely what you do not have to do.
You do not have to answer the phone
When your phone rings, you always have the option of not answering it. This is true whether the call is from a debt collector or anyone else. Still, because creditors may call from many different numbers, you may not know the difference between a collections call and one from family members or friends.
Therefore, you may want to program trusted numbers into your phone to help you easily identify the calls you want to answer.
You do not have to put up with obscene or angry words
Perseverance can be tremendously effective, but debt collectors must not cross the line into either obscenity or abusiveness. If a debt collector leaves you voicemails with threats, curse words or other types of bad language, be sure to save the voicemail. Also, consider keeping notes when talking with abusive creditors.
You do not have to allow the calls to continue
If you want creditors to stop calling you, you can send them a written request. Alternatively, you may be able to end harassing phone calls by filing for bankruptcy protection. During bankruptcy, you benefit from an automatic stay that prevents debt collectors from calling you.
Ultimately, by taking control over your phone calls with creditors, you may return to the days when using your phone did not make you panic.