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Debt can feel stressful and overwhelming, especially when you’re struggling with payments. And if you end up on the receiving end of a debt collector’s call, it can feel scary.
But while it’s tempting to ignore debt collectors, that can even make the situation worse.
You know what else is not a good idea? Uttering a specific 11-word phrase billed to stop debt collectors.
What Is This Phrase to Stop Debt Collectors?
It’s “Please cease and desist all calls and contact with me immediately.”
The truth is that using this phrase won’t necessarily stop debt collectors. They may stop contacting you, but it doesn’t mean they won’t stop from trying to collect the debt you may owe. Besides, if you cease all communications, you’ll risk missing important information about the debt, putting you at further risk. Also, the debt could end up being reported to the credit bureaus and you could end up being sued so the debt collectors can receive what’s owed.
The good news is that there are better ways to respond when you’re contacted by a debt collector that’ll hopefully get you on the right track financially.
What You Can Do Instead
It’s important that you don’t give the debt collector any personal information or confirm that you owe money on the debt because this can be used against you.
As soon as a debt collector contacts you, it’s important to find out exactly what the debt is for and when you started owing money.
More specifically, you’ll want to find out who the debt collector is, including their name, phone number and address. You can look them up to get intel on the company and decide whether it looks legitimate.
Then, look at the amount that the debt collector claims you owe to see whether you recognize the amount. The debt collector should be able to tell you exactly what the debt was for, including the name of the original creditor, and when you incurred the debt. For example, the debt collector could tell you that…
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