 TITLE: How to Deal With Debt Collectors CONTENT: Send a Cease and Desist Letter\n------------------------------\nThere may be a time when you just want to stop hearing from the debt collector altogether. If so, a cease and desist letter may be in order. As per the FDCPA, it's your right to send one. There are two basic circumstances where you might want to do this:\n*   **The statute of limitations has run.** The collector can still contact you, but since you're safe from a lawsuit, you can stop the calls and letters once and for all with the cease and desist letter.\n*   **You have no current or future assets to pay even if you are sued and you lose the case.** You'd be considered \"judgment proof,\" which means a lawsuit would be fruitless because the collector wouldn't get anything if they won.\nIf a cease and desist letter makes sense for you, write it, make a copy and send the letter by certified mail, return receipt requested. Upon receipt, the collector can either notify you that they received the letter and will cease communications or inform you that they will file a lawsuit (which is why you have to be sure that the debt has either passed the statute of limitations or that losing a lawsuit will have no impact on you).\nSomething to keep in mind when dealing with collection agencies is that they don't want you—they're after the money. It's not personal. If you pay them, either in full or as a settlement, they'll leave you alone. And if you can't or won't, but manage the situation the right way, you'll still come out ahead. END