What Happens If You Hang up on a Debt Collector?

The amount of the debt. Whether you can dispute the debt or seek verification of it.

Your rights when a debt collector contacts you depend on the type of debt collector and whether you have been officially notified about the debt. If you have not been officially notified about the debt, your rights may be different. If a debt collector is acting on behalf of a creditor (like a credit card company), you generally have the right to request information about the debt, called debt verification. This includes getting copies of any notice the creditor sent to you, contact information for the collector's supervisor, and a description of the alleged violation. You can also ask for an estimate of how much money you could owe and what actions you should take if that amount is too high. If a debt collector is acting on their own behalf (for example, because they are trying to collect on an unredeemed gift card or unpaid loan), they generally do not have to provide this information unless you requested it in writing. However, some states do require disclosure of certain information, like how

A debt collector has to give you validation information about a debt within five days after first contacting you.

Within 5 days of the initial contact

It is important to be aware of your rights when it comes to debt collection. For example, you have the right to cancel any debt with 10 days’ notice if the debt is more than $500. You can also dispute the debt or request verification of it. If you do not dispute the debt or request verification, your credit score may suffer as a result.