One of the things you can do to help yourself from debt is to avoid dealing with collection agencies. But, how do you know you are avoiding them? How do you find out if you are safe or not? If you are living in Calgary and are thinking about getting out of debt then you need to find out if your credit is safe with the collection agency you are dealing with.
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1. Contact The Credit Bureaus
First of all, you need to look at your credit and see what is there. Is there a debt you have that the collection agency wants you to pay off? If so, they have the right to get that money from you. The only way to challenge this is to contact the credit bureaus. They will either remove the debt from your credit history or provide you with written proof that you can dispute the debt.
When it comes to debt collection, most people just give up. It is almost like they accept the collection agency is going to come after them regardless of what they have to do. However, there are other options. You do have the right to challenge their activities if you feel they are being abusive. You can file a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
When it comes to credit and debt collection, it is not the collection agency’s job to make you feel guilty. They only collect on the debt that you owe. They do not have to sell your goods, they do not have to get your signature, and they do not have to do any of those other things. They simply have to follow the laws that you have given them.
2. Credit Rating
So, how can you improve your credit rating? It is important to keep up to date with your credit history. This can be done through annual credit reports. You also have to make sure that all of your information is correct. If there is inaccurate information, you have to get it corrected or have it removed from your credit report.
The collection agencies have to prove that you owe them money. To do this, they often have to get a court order. In addition to court orders, they have to provide you with proof that you actually owe them money. They can’t just say you owe them money without any proof.
3. Contacting The Debt Collection Company
If you think you may have a collection agency in Calgary, you need to take action. First, ignore them. Call the number on your monthly statement and tell them you will be contacting the company to discuss your problem. Tell them you will call their supervisor and ask for details. You don’t have to stay on the phone for long, just tell them you want to speak with the supervisor and you would like to know why you were charged a debt you did not owe. Do this quickly so the collection agency has no time to call back and try to collect money from you.
When you pay off your debt, send a letter to the collection agency. Ask them to validate the debt. You should also request that they stop calling you. When they cannot contact you anymore, you know you have removed the debt from your report.
Once the collection agency ceases contact with you, mark it off on your credit file. This can help future creditors or employers use your credit file when they are looking to hire a potential employee or place an employment contract with a business. If your creditor puts a hold on your file, you will have to prove that the agency owes you money. If they can prove that you do not owe the money, you should be able to get your account back.
4. Written Receipt From Debt Collection Agency
If you cannot get the hold removed, contact your creditor immediately. Ask them to verify the debt and to remove the hold. You should be given the amount of time you need to pay the debt before they remove the hold. When you pay off the debt, make sure you get a written receipt for the debt. If you try to cash out the debt and the creditor did not issue you a written receipt, you will be responsible for the entire debt.
If you are unable to settle the debt, or if the collection agency Calgary tries to contact you again, you may want to consider reporting them to the Canadian Anti-Housing Organization. They will work with the collection agency to find the person who owns the property and will send them to you. Reporting the agency to the ARO will only be done if you are given the proper notice. You can learn more about reporting a Caltex collection agency by following the link below.
