 TITLE: What to Do if You’re Sued by a Debt Collector CONTENT: 1\\. Challenge the Lawsuit\n-------------------------\nDebt collectors are never the original lender, which means that there may be details about the situation that you can use in your favor.\nDepending on where you live, for example, a lender may not be legally allowed to collect on a debt after a certain period, which can range from three to 20 years.\nIt's also possible to be sued for a debt that you've already paid off—in this case, a mistake has been made, but you shouldn't have to pay for it.\nFinally, it's possible to be sued for a debt that doesn't even belong to you. Or, even if the debt does belong to you, the collection agency may have the wrong figures or you may no longer owe money because the statute of limitations on the debt has passed.\nIf you disagree with any or all of the information in the lawsuit, you can contest it. You can also challenge a lawsuit if you have evidence that a collection agency has violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and your consumer rights.\nThe important thing is that you respond by the date provided in the summons. END