Can Debt Collectors Text You?
For any person who has a debt and is late with their payments, the lenders of the debt need to contact to see what is the situation with their debt and if they can pay their debt, and if yes, when. However, it is not so easy for everyone to contact anyone they wish, especially if they are trying to collect a debt, and there are certain laws preventing these lenders and debt collectors from getting in contact with you in certain places. A debt relief company or a debt settlement company could help you figure out this easier, but it is always better to know your rights.
Who Are Debt Collectors?
Debt collectors are people or organizations that collect the debt that someone owes to someone. These debt collectors are generally either debt collection agencies or lawyers trying to get a past-due debt. Even though debt collectors generally call the debtors when the debt is past-due, and they haven't paid, it could happen that someone buys your debt from the lender, and the new owner calls to talk about the debt and the payment procedures from now on. The latter is not common, but it could happen.
Can They Text You?
When it comes to debt collectors actually contacting the debtor, things are slightly different from a normal agency calling up their clients because they are legally bound to follow certain procedures, and you have the right to stop them from contacting you if you wish to do so. Before November 2021, debt collectors had limited options to contact you to collect their debts. However, since November 2021, a new law allows debt collectors to contact you in different ways through text, email, and direct messages on social media.
It is worth noting that just like with phone calls, emails, or direct social media messages, they need to send those texts in a reasonable hour, generally work hours, and the text must include an option on how to opt-out from receiving any further communication from them. This allows for both the collector to reach out to you and also allows for the debtor to not violate their personal space by giving them the option to opt out from the texts. If you get a text from a debt collector without these two important things, you have the right to contact a lawyer about it.
The Verdict
To conclude, debt collectors could be debt collection agencies or a lawyer, and they follow up with past-due debts. They follow up on behalf of the lender, so since they are not directly related to the debt in question, they need to follow through with a concrete set of rules when they need to contact a debtor about a past-due debt. They have limited ways to contact you like email, phone call, text, and social media direct messages, and they need to make these contacts in a reasonable hour with a certain set of opt-out options within this text, call, or email.
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