*--*  Qmodem Session Capture File  *--*
*--*  Qmodem Capture File  10/06/87 14:57:18  *--*
f

 
                      FAIR DEBT COLLECTION                       

                          Provided By
                     Charley Brown's Office
                        Attorney General
                  Consumer Protection Division

     Complaints about harrassment by debt collectors are among 
the most numerous complaints received by my Consumer Protection 
Division.  There are both federal and state laws to protect you 
from unfair debt collection practices.   
     A debt collector may contact you in person, in writing, or 
by phone.  However, a debt collector may not contact you at 
inconvenient or unusual times or at work if your employer 
disapproves. 
     You may stop a collection agency from contacting you by 
writing a letter telling them to stop. Once they receive this 
letter, they may not contact you again. 
     No debt collector may threaten you with criminal prosecution 
to scare you into paying a bill.  A collection agency cannot sue 
you, garnish your wages, or seize collateral on it's own. 
     Collection agencies cannot use obscene language or make 
false statements when collecting a debt.  In most cases, the 
More [Y,n]? 
collector is not allowed to tell anyone other than you or your 
attorney that you owe money.  
     If you should encounter problems with a debt collection 
agency, please contact my Consumer Protection Agency, toll free 
in West Virginia, at 1-800-368-8808. 



MAIN MENU: Type `?' by itself for help
M)essage section    F)ile section       G)oodbye (logoff)   S)tatistics 
A)ns Questions      B)ulletin           C)hange setup       U)ser list/search 
E)xtra Info         V)ersion            
