Suppose you ve retained an attorney to represent you in the matter of this debt. Once your attorney notifies the collection agency, in writing, to direct further communications to him or her, they must do this. The one exception to this requirement would be if your attorney doesn t respond to the collection agency s communications within a reasonable time. There are some prohibitions relating to a collection agency s written communications to you. For example, their communications may not convey any embarrassing information about you or the debt that may be seen by others.
Postcards are out.
These communications also may not give the impression of being authorized, issued or approved by a State or federal court, official, or agency, or anything else it is not. This prohibition would also apply to unapproved use of an attorney s stationery or simulation of legal process. They can t even imply that a collection agency or third party is participating in the attempt to collect the debt unless that is true. So much for prohibitions that apply to written communications. When a collection agency contacts you by telephone, they must, again, tell you who they are.