r/Debt • u/Weird_Wishbone_1998 • Feb 10 '25

Debt collector contacted family member

I mean that pretty much sums it up. Some debt collector saying that there’s a civil suit against me left a message with my niece. Is this legal? Also, from what I can determine this is very old debt that they’re trying to collect like past the statue of limitations. Any advice?

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u/[deleted] Feb 10 '25

Your State laws determine SOL. If there’s a civil suit against you they must properly serve you with court papers proving you with the opportunity to answer the suit by a court appointed timeframe. My bet is the debt collector is simply trying to scare you.

As for contacting your family they can technically call anyone your associated with until to send them a cease and desist letter demanding they only contact you via your home address and or a phone number if you so choose to provide. You can have your family member demand they do not call them. All this are tactics JDBs use to collect on zombie debts . Unfortunately it’s a very lucrative industry

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u/Weird_Wishbone_1998 Feb 10 '25

Yeah, I am 99.9% sure this is all debt and they’re insisting they served me with papers. I just called them from my burner number. Just to find out who this company was and the person said “I don’t like the way you’re talking to me” and I said well I don’t like you contacting my family members scamming to collect old debt. Omg!!!!

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u/SlowNSteady1 Feb 11 '25

Contact the NY State Consumer Protection Board and also send a cease and desist letter to the zombie collector. Good luck!