Can a debt collector contact me about a debt that I’ve already paid?
When it comes to debt collection in California, debt collectors are not legally allowed to contact you about a debt that you have already paid. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors are not allowed to try and collect payment from you on a debt that you’ve already paid or that you no longer owe. This means that debt collectors cannot call you, send letters, or take any other form of action to try and collect money from you on a fully or partially paid debt. If you have any proof that you have paid the debt in full, such as a payment receipt or canceled check, it’s important to keep this information in case you ever need to show that you have fully satisfied a debt. This proof can be used to help protect yourself if a debt collector ever contacts you claiming that you still owe money on the debt. It’s also important to remember that even though debt collectors cannot contact you about a debt that you’ve already paid, they can still contact you about debts that were recently purchased by the debt collector. If you receive a collection letter from a debt collector about a debt that you are sure you’ve already paid, you can contact the debt collector in writing to ask for proof that the debt is unpaid. A debt collector is required to provide such proof if asked.
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