Your rights:

• A debt collector must send you a letter within five days after calling you spelling out how much you owe, to whom you owe it and how long you have to dispute the debt.

• You have 30 days from the date you are contacted by the debt collector to send the collector a letter disputing the debt and specifically requesting verification of it.

• Whether or not you owe the debt, you can tell debt collectors in writing not to contact you again.  That doesn’t eliminate the debt.

DEBT COLLECTORS CAN’T:

• Harass or use obscene words when talking to you.

• Contact you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.

• Contact you without identifying themselves.

• Tell others about your debt.

• Contact you at work if your employer disapproves.

• Threaten you with arrest or jail time.

Problem with a debt collector?

• You can file a complaint, with the Ohio attorney general’s office at 1-800-282-0515 and with the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357.