A collection agency called me. Do I have to talk to them?

If a collection agency contacts you, don’t ignore them. If you ignore them, serious things can happen. For example, your credit rating could drop and you might get sued in court.

You can contact the collection agency at any time. But, there are rules about when the collection agency can contact you. For example, they must send you a written notice and wait at least 6 days before they call, email, or text you.

Talking to the collection agency

When a collection agency contacts you, try to speak with them as soon as you can. You may be able to make a plan to pay off your debt in a way that you can afford.

If you call them within a few days, they might be able to reduce the effect that the debt has on your credit score. But for this to happen, you need to pay the debt off right away.

Once a collection agency contacts you, you have to deal with them. But, there may be ways to handle your debt in the future so you don’t have to deal with a collection agency.

Getting help

If you’re having problems dealing with the collection agency, a non-profit credit counsellor may be able to help you. See Step 3.