False Statements by Debt Collectors

Debt collectors are prohibited from making any false or misleading statements when collecting on a debt.

For example, debt collectors may not:

• falsely imply that they are attorneys or government representatives;
• falsely imply that you have committed a crime;
• falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit bureau;
• misrepresent the amount of your debt;
• indicate that papers being sent to you are legal forms when they are not; or
• indicate that papers being sent to you are not legal forms when they are.

They also cannot make false or misleading statements such as:

• you will be arrested if you do not pay your debt;
• they will seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages, unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so, and it is legal to do so; or
• such as a lawsuit, will be taken against you, when such action legally may not be taken, or when they do not intend to take such action.

Debt collectors are prohibited from the following practice as well:

• give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit bureau;
• send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency when it is not; or
• use a false name.