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Originally Posted by garnet
If you get a call from a collection agency demanding payment on something that is fraudulent, DEMAND that they stop calling you, and also throw in the words "lawyer," "harrassment," and "lawsuit" while you're at it. Those guys will stop at nothing, and they'll ruin your credit too. I once had a situation where my account got mixed up and I had these morons calling me non-stop about someone else's overdue bill. They called me at work, at home, and they even called the manager at my apartment complex. Insanity. Just make sure they don't screw up your credit.
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Actually, according to the
1986 Fair Debt Collection Practices Act all you have to do is notify the debt collection agency in writing that they may not contact you again, and they must comply. No implied threats are needed. If they do contact you again (other than to confirm that they will never contact you again) they are in violation of federal law and you can sue them for damages up to $1000, and much more if there's a class action suit because they do it to a lot of people.
The person you actually owe money to can call you as much as they want, but a collection agency has VERY limited powers. Most people don't know this, and put up with the crap from collection agencies. Anyone being contacted by a collection agency should read the Act so they know the rules.
Of course, they can report the debt to the credit agencies, and they can take you to court if you refuse to pay. The judge could rule against you, and force you to pay. But there are statutes of limitation.