We are sure you have received messages from your banks and debt collectors letting you know about the different services that they have to provide. We are sure you might have thought whether this is normal or not and if this is legal. When it comes to debt collectors, it can be a little unusual for them to message people, but it is not prohibited.

If you are wondering what this is, why it happens, and why your debt collectors message you, then this article is just for you. In this article, you will be able to learn everything about this concept and what precautions you need to take when it comes to this. So, let's jump right into the article.

Are Debt Collectors Allowed to Text Me?

The first question that might come to your mind is whether debt collectors are even allowed to message me. Then the answer is yes, this is allowed. According to the updated rules of the Fair Debt Collection Act (FDCPA), it is allowed that debt collectors can contact you.

This communication can be done in various ways. Some of them like to send emails, while others like to contact through social media platforms. All of this is totally allowed. However, when a debt collector is messaging you, they need to follow some basic rules. This is implied on all the debt collectors even if they are messaging, sending emails, or even contacting you through social media platforms.

Following are the two basic rules that need to be followed by all the debt collectors.

• They are only supposed to message or contact the customers during the working hours of the day. In such cases, the working hours start from 8 am and end at 9 pm. Collectors messaging you after that is considered wrong and also be illegal.
• When it comes to messaging, the messages should have easy-to-read instructions that will allow people to opt out of these messages. This means that if they follow his instructions, then they can stop you from sending them the messages and stop future communication.
• They are not allowed to use any abusive language or even harass you.
• The debt collectors are supposed to stop messaging you if you send them a written letter regarding not sending them any messages.

If the debt collector is following these rules, then there is no rule that they are breaking. They can send as many messages as they want. However, it is essential that the receiver knows their right and uses them in case there is any con or scan happening.

Verifying the Texts:

It is prevalent for debt collectors to send messages all the time, and this also creates an open gate for the scammers to make their way. It is seen that there have been a lot of scams happening in the name of debt collection, and since people don't know whether the message is legitimate or not, they fall under this spell.

Whenever you get a message from a debt collector, the first thing you need to do is not to share any personal information. This means do not share the credit card number, the Social Security number, or even the PIN code, as all of this information can be used against you and can cause a huge problem.

When you get the message for validating details, be sure that the message you are getting is from your debt collector and the message is legitimate. Different rules are placed via the CFPB that the collector needs to provide when they are sending you the message or within five days after sending the message.

Following are the things that need to be present so that you know that it is a legitimate message and it is coming from a debt collector.

• The name of the creditor.
• Proper instructions on how you can obtain the information for the original creditor.
• The amount of the money that you owe.

Other than this, you also need to ensure that you ask for the name and contact information of the collection agency. This will ensure that you are actually talking to a real person and not someone who is trying to scam you.

The next step you should be taking when it comes to such incidents is that you need to get the cost of your credit report. There, you will find the information on how much you owe and even the name of the creditor agency. With the help of the information on the credit report and the information provided in the text, you can match and see if it is actually real.

If you find something off and you still don't trust the message, then it is best if you contact the person or the agency to be sure.

Communicating with the Debt Collectors:

Now comes the part where you need to contact and communicate with the debt collector once you are sure that they are legit and not a scam. There are different routes that you can take when it comes to contacting them.

• You can continue contacting them through text messages.
• Calls are allowed to the debt collector directly.
• There are also chat tools on the website that you can use in order to communicate with the representatives of the agency.

These are all the simple ways through which you can talk to a collector and know how much you need to pay and all the other rules and regulations related to it.

Final Words:

Whenever a debt collector messages you, we are sure there is a fear at the back of your mind about the scams. This is a valid fear because there are a lot of people who are using this strategy to get all the personal information of a person and then use it to scam people.

This is why a lot of people think it is legal for them to message me. Then, yes, it is totally legal; however, whenever you are getting the message, you must get it verified.