Say this, not that, when a debt collector calls

Read from this when a collector calls. It tells you exactly what to say and what not to say.

The script

Say only this

"I do not recognize this debt. Send me written validation at my mailing address."

Then ask for the company's name and mailing address, and write down the date and time of the call.

The nevers

Never, on the first call

Do not confirm the debt is yours
Do not make a "small good faith payment"
Do not give bank or card details
Do not promise to pay

The rules

Why this matters

On an old debt, making even a small payment, or admitting in writing that the debt is yours, can revive the legal deadline for suing you in many states. A written dispute sent to the collector within 30 days of their first contact requires them to stop all collection activity until they prove the debt is real and that they have the right to collect it. Many debt buyers, companies that purchased your account in bulk for far less than the balance, do not have that paperwork.

One never: never ignore a court summons. Most collection lawsuits are won by default, because the person never responded, not because the collector proved anything.