Debt collection and scams are often used in the same sentence. The truth is that everyone’s lives have become busy, and it is easy to be behind on bills sometimes. When this happens, someone has to call and help the organization recover the money that is owed to them. Unfortunately, this is an area that is highly filled with scammers.
In a debt collection scam, a scammer calls you to ask for payments that have already been paid, canceled, discharged, or completely fake. The scammer will use various techniques to get the money from you, such as threats, continuous calls, lies, intimidation, harassment, etc. Knowing the signs of a debt collection scammer can help you.
If you do owe money and a debt collector is harassing you, a debt collection defense lawyer in Chicago can look into your case.
Signs that a debt collection is a scam
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The caller is making threats.
The most common and popular way of scamming people for money is by threatening them. Threats seem to work on people as they get scared and are willing to do anything to avoid trouble.
For example, the scammer might tell you that you only have two days to pay the money or else you will go to jail. When in reality, a debt collector cannot arrest you or send you to jail without litigation first. Debt collectors are not allowed to threaten you, and if they are, it is probably a scam.
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They ask for information that they should already have.
When a legitimate debt collector calls you, chances are they already have important information about you. Real debt collectors already know how much you own, your social security number, address, birthday, etc. On the other hand, scammers do not have so much information, which is why they probably will ask for it.
Try to listen closely to how they speak and see if they know anything about you. If it seems like they do not, hang up the call and do not give any information.
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They pressure you.
There are different ways a scammer might pressure you into paying the debt you do not even owe them. They might use threats and scare tactics. They might also use blackmailing and make you feel like a bad or irresponsible person. Scammers also use fear to move you to act quickly. Legit debt collectors can sometimes get a bit aggressive, but they will never use threats. Not to mention threats and blackmail are legally not allowed.
