You can’t hide from debt collectors forever and living in fear of answering your phone is not the way to exist. If you are feeling pressure from a debt collector, it may be time to turn your attention to contacting them, in an attempt to negotiate a solution to your debt.
MSN Money advised the following steps:
1. Phone them before they phone you
Preparing yourself to talk to a debt collector rather than being caught unaware leaves you more in control of the situation.
2. Make sure they are legitimate
Unfortunately, there are debt collection scammers out there, so you want to make sure they are from a reputable company. They will make it their mission to learn everything about you, so why not do the same?
3. Validate the debt
Ask how they determined the total amount of debt owing.
4. Offer token amounts
In many cases, debt collectors will forfeit their commission if the case is transferred to a lawyer, so by paying small amounts, the collector is less likely to transfer your file.
5. Report abuse
If your debt collector is frightening you with their demands, report the situation to a supervisor.
