Fear can quickly immobilize the average Missouri resident. It can cause the individual to take actions that may not be prudent upon further review or make decisions that may not be in the individual's best interest. This is one of the primary reasons that many debt collectors utilize fear as one of the many collection agency harassment techniques that they employ.
Once a collection agency takes upon a debt collection task, they will usually attempt to contact the alleged debtor. During this initial contact, the collection agency must notify the individual of the creditor's name, the amount owed and the individual's right to dispute the debt. There is a 30-day window within which the individual can dispute the debt; otherwise, the collection agency will assume that it has a valid claim.
Some collection agencies will resort to calling the individual at work in an attempt to collect a debt. While this may appear to be a sound business practice on their end, it can quickly place the individual's job in jeopardy. The individual does have the right to request that collectors not contact them at work and to even request that all communication be done in written form. Additionally, if the individual is represented by an attorney, all communication should go to the attorney rather than the individual.
Collection agency harassment is not legal. It can lead to undue stress upon the individual and even cause an individual who does not actually owe the debt to decide to pay it simply to stop the harassment. Missouri residents who find themselves in this position can benefit by obtaining legal representation.