It’s difficult to hide from a debt collector. If you’re behind your payments, you probably need to expect continuous reminders from lenders and collection agencies. Brace yourself as those efforts are fairly standard. Likewise, bear in mind that you cannot easily ignore these attempts.
In our digital age, it’s convenient for debt collectors to find the information they need to reach you immediately. Lending agencies have evolved from sending letters and dialing phone calls to advanced technological tactics to drive payments. With nothing more than a name, collectors can utilize any records and resources to track information such as phone numbers, residency, family contacts, and the like.
To educate yourself further, jotted below are the ways debt collectors can reach you.
Skip Tracers
Skip tracers got their name from the term ‘skip town’ as they’re always tracking down customers who’ve left their local region to avoid a responsibility, such as pending bills. Skip tracers are investigators that utilize both traditional and high-tech search methods to locate someone. In a practice called skip tracing, collection centers tap on databases to locate borrowers who’ve skipped out on debts.
Furthermore, in the field of debt collection, the practice generally refers to the process of tracking down a debtor whose contact information is no longer timely and precise. A collection agency may employ a skip tracer to reach a customer who has been missing or unresponsive with payment notifications and deadlines. Notably, it can be challenging to run away from your debt.
In relevance to their skip tracing policies and practices, methods vary from company to company. To know about these practices, you may read more here.
The Creditor
When signing up for certain services and utilities, you may notice that most of your contact details are the exact ones that you’ve provided to the creditor.
Debt collectors may start to get in touch with you through the original creditor. This credit representative can offer the collection agency the information printed on your credit application.
To note, when you sign up for a credit card, loan, or any form of professional service, the company commonly takes your current contact information, such as your name, phone number, temporary and/or permanent residence. Although it’s difficult to deal with payments, such as a medical bill collection, know that you cannot run from debt collectors forever.
If you’ve moved to another area, a person listed on your application (employer, bank, service references, or your closest relative) might have an idea where you are presently situated. Bear in mind that this makes the collector’s job much simpler, particularly when the supplied information is accurate and valid.
Data Aggregator
When filling out a survey or entering personal details online, there’s a possibility that this information is being gathered and accessed by a data aggregator. From public records, surveys, purchase data, and demographic data, these aggregators collect and sell consumer information to a large-scale of people.
Commonly, there’s an option not to provide your personal details to these kinds of services. To protect yourself and your privacy, heed attention and be wary when supplying your personal information online.
Public Records
Personal details printed on public records are considered non-confidential and are legally required to be made, updated, and kept whether this would be through phonebooks or your local county records office.
Nowadays, with the majority of your public information accessible and open to the general public, it may be convenient for debt collectors to acquire your present address, phone number, and other necessary details. With this, to acquire your present address, phone number, and other necessary details. With this, they can definitely reach the information they need in a few clicks away.reach the information they need in a few clicks away.
The Takeaway
Nowadays, debt collectors have advanced methods to locate people who have been unresponsive to bill notifications. For this reason, it would be best to contact your collector instead and collaborate to see how they can help you. Remember, you cannot run away from those bills forever.