If you are receiving harassing phone calls from debt collectors, you may be able to put a stop to them.

Here are a few tips to safeguard from the threatening calls of the collection agency:

1. Ask for validation:
Annoying debt collectors can compel you to admit that you owe money that they are collecting. In this situation, ask them to validate the debt before you start paying it off. Remember that the Federal Trade Commission enforced FDCP Act to protect the consumers from the illegal collection practices. Make sure that the collector provides the necessary documents to validate that you owe the debt, the amount you owe, and the collector is authorized to obtain it from you.

2. Verify info about the company:
Try to get the collection agency’s phone number and postal address so that you can verify certain information about the company. There are many fraudulent collection agencies that threaten consumers, trying to extract money from them through illegal means. If you feel that you are the victim of one of these companies, you should lodge a complaint with the FTC.

3. Cease communication:
If you are confident that you do not owe the debt, then you can send a registered letter to the debt collection agency requesting that they not contact you any further regarding the matter. Make sure to mention that you are no longer liable for the debt. You should send the written letter within a month of receiving the debt collection letter.

4. Know your consumer rights:
If you are aware of Fair Debt Collection Practice Act implemented by the FTC then it will be easier to manage the rogue debt collector. Make sure that you acquire information about the law before dealing with a debt collection agency. This will help to protect yourself from the fraudulent debt collector. According to the FCDP Act, it prohibits collectors of any kind from practicing illegal collection methods.

5. Review your credit report:
Make sure that you review your credit report extensively otherwise you might end up paying for old debts that have been forgiven by the creditors or already paid off and not documented yet. Debt collectors can illegally report old debts to the credit bureau that you might have to pay for. Therefore, try to keep an eye on your credit report to avoid the harassing debt collection calls.

So these are the five essential ways to avoid the annoying debt collectors and make sure that you pay off the owed amount on time.

GHS Solutions

GHS Solutions is a debt consolidation and settlement company based in Florida. They’ve been in existence since 2006, and, depending on which source you want to believe, are either a premiere company or one that you need to watch out for.

At a certain point, when you’re reviewing debt collection companies, you start looking at their websites for something different. GHS Solutions site, once again, has a page that has the same exact information most other debt consolidation companies have, in the same order using the same words in talking about the five options they believe every person has. When you keep seeing the same thing over and over, it instantly makes you suspect, whether it’s justified or not.

If they accept you, there is a set up fee of 15%, with no monthly fee, settlement fee, or processing fee. They do keep the first four payments to pay their fee, which is different than most companies, which take the first three. They tell people that they average between 40 and 70% of a reduction, which is interesting since I haven’t seen any other site do that. I also haven’t seen any other site show how much someone might have owed, and what the payment was that they actually made. There’s no way to prove if it’s accurate or not, but it does look impressive seeing it.

First, some downsides. They’ve only been in existence since 2006, but they have numerous complaints against them through the BBB; or do they? One site showed 36 complaints against them, giving them a F rating, while another site, not listing how many complaints, gave them a B rating. I tend to believe the bad rating more, mainly because there are numerous complaints against GHS Solutions online. Some complaints stated that the company said they’d talk to creditors and prevent them from getting phone calls and from being sued; that seems to not have happened. Other people said it was in the contract that you might get sued. That’s something a potential client should be told up front, whether it’s in the contract or not.

GHS Solutions does have some credible organizations that they’re a member of. One of those organizations is the United States Organization for Bankruptcy Alternatives (USOBA). They are also a member of the Association of Settlement Companies, and the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators. This means they’ve at least tried to do some positive things.

In the end, GHS Solutions may or may not be the company for you. Three years really isn’t enough time to be able to do a full evaluation on a company, but if you don’t feel safe, find someone else to help you.