Stop Debt Collectors

How to Stop Debt Collector Harassment in Missouri

How do I get collection companies to stop calling me?

By Guss Markwell · Updated October 14, 2026

The short answer: Debt collectors don’t have unlimited power. Federal law limits when, how often, and how they can contact you, and you can generally make them stop with a written request. If they break the rules, you may be able to hold them accountable. Filing bankruptcy also stops collection efforts, but that may not even be necessary.  

What Debt Collectors Can’t Do

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), third-party debt collectors generally cannot:

• Call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time
• Contact you at work if they know your employer doesn’t allow it
• Discuss your debt with your friends, family, neighbors, or employer (they may contact others only to find you)
• Harass you, threaten you, or use obscene language
• Threaten actions they can’t or don’t intend to take, including a lawsuit
• Lie about who they are or how much you owe

What to do when they call

1. Get their details. Ask for the caller’s name, company, address, and phone number, and write them down with the date and time.  Scammers won’t want to give it, but you’re likely being recorded, so ask them for details and if the won’t spill the beans, the conversation cannot move forward.
2. Don’t agree to a payment, or give out bank or card information over the phone.
3. Ask for written validation of the debt, and dispute it in writing within the window the notice gives you. 
4. Tell them in writing to stop contacting you. 
5. Keep a log of every call: the date, time, company, and what was said. Save voicemails, texts, and letters, and gather your cell phone records. VERY IMPORTANT
6. Never ignore a lawsuit. If you’re served, respond by the deadline in the summons. See Sued by a Debt Collector in Missouri.

When you call, I’ll likely ask:

1. Are they calling your cell phone?
2. What company is calling you?
3. How often are they calling?
4. What kinds of comments are they making?
5. What debt are they trying to collect?
6. Are they calling you at work?
7. Are they calling your friends, family, or neighbors?

Who’s on the other end of the phone

We hear about “over-aggressive” debt collectors almost daily, and most of the bankruptcies I file involve a third-party collector trying to coax money out of a client. Here in St. Charles County or anywhere else, they’re a pain in the neck, and “neck” might not be the word you’re thinking of (insert your favorite expletive here). They make threats, they insult, they make you feel bad, and then they demand money, now.

Here’s how I explain it to clients. The person calling works for a collection company, and the only job is to get money, now. They’re not paid to be nice, compassionate, or helpful, and they’re neither friend nor foe. Think of them as a kitchen blender: a simple machine that does one job no matter how you feel about it. Unlike your blender, though, it doesn’t make margaritas. You can picture the high-fives when they collect next week’s grocery money.

On your end of the line is you, a moral, responsible person who already feels bad about the missed payment. They’re there to remind you to feel bad. That’s a one-sided struggle, and frankly, it angers me. It’s why I do this job.

So you’re not in a battle of wits, and emotions have no place in it. You wouldn’t get angry at the blender, so don’t get angry at the caller. Keep your cool, keep notes, and use the law.

Common situations

They keep calling my cell phone. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) can limit autodialed and prerecorded calls to your cell phone. Unless you consented to such, they shouldn’t be doing that.

They’re threatening a lawsuit. A collector can sue, but they can’t threaten a lawsuit they don’t intend to file or can’t file. Don’t ignore any lawsuit you’re served with.

They’re contacting my family, friends, or employer. They generally can’t discuss your debt with them. I don’t owe them anything, or the debt is years old. Dispute it in writing. A creditor writing off a debt doesn’t erase it, and Missouri sets time limits on suing over most debts. 

A collector I’ve never heard of sued me. Debts are often sold to other companies. See Sued by a Debt Collector in Missouri.

Can bankruptcy stop debt collectors?

Yes. When you file for bankruptcy, the automatic stay generally requires most creditors and collectors to stop collection efforts, including calls and lawsuits, while your case is pending.  Bankruptcy isn’t the only solution. Others include changing the circumstances, debt consolidation, and debt negotiation. If bankruptcy is the right one for you, I’ll say so, and if it isn’t, I’ll tell you that too. Start with Chapter 7 bankruptcy in St. Charles County.

The laws that protect you

• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA): limits how third-party collectors can contact you and what they can say
• Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA): limits certain calls and texts to your phone
• Regulation F: the CFPB’s rules implementing the FDCPA 

You have to enforce them, but you may be able to do more than make collectors stop. If they broke the law, you may be able to recover actual damages, statutory damages, and attorney’s fees. For more, see the CFPB’s and FTC’s consumer pages on debt collection, and our posts on what a creditor or debt collector can do and working with debt collectors.

Talk to me

If a collector is crossing the line, call me at 636-486-1093 for a free consultation.  Depending on the situation, either I can help you or point you in the right direction to fighting these people.