COUNSELING WHEN YOUR IS OUT OF CONTROL Counseling services provide assistance to individuals having difficulty learning to AND budget their money and/or meeting DEBT COLLECTION necessary monthly expenses. Many organizations, including credit unions, From the cooperative extension services, family Office of the District Attorney service centers and religious Tenth Judicial District organizations, offer free or low-cost credit counseling.

The National Foundation for Consumer Credit (NFCC) has members that provide money management techniques, debt payment plans and education programs to help consumers learn to budget and CREDIT COUNSELING use credit wisely. Many of its members INFORMATION are locally managed, nonprofit agencies operating under the Consumer Credit Consumer Credit Counseling Service Stephen M. Howe Counseling Service. To locate the 1-800-388-2227 District Attorney nearest member call 1-800-388-2227 toll Or visit their website at: free or visit the website at www.nfcc.org. www.nfcc.org Johnson County, Kansas Economic Crime Unit My vesta.org is the nation’s first, Internet Based Debt Counseling Consumer Hot Line 913-715-3003 nonprofit, internet based debt counseling 1-800-680-3328 White Collar Crime 913-715-3140 service. It assists families and individuals Or visit their website at: with debt, credit, money and financial www.myvesta.org problems through their website at: www.myvesta.org as well as through one-on-one counseling at: 1-800-680- DEBT.

“THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION 1. Contact the in writing [by PRACTICES ACT” Harass you by threats of harm to you certified mail] and send a copy to the debt or your reputation, use of profane collection agency with a letter telling The Fair Debt Collection Practices language or repeated telephone calls. them not to contact you. Act applies to those who collect owed to for personal, family Make any false statement, including and household debts, including car that you will be arrested, or threaten IF YOU DO OWE THE MONEY OR , mortgages, charge accounts to have money deducted from your PART OF IT: and money owed for medical bills. A paycheck or to sue you, unless the debt collect is someone hired to collection agency or creditor intends 1. Contact the creditor to arrange for collect money owed by you. to do so and it is legal. payment.

A DEBT COLLECTOR MAY NOT YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE 2. Often times a credit will sell your FAIR DEBT COLLECTION account directly to a debt collection Contact you at unreasonable times or PRACTICES ACT: agent/company. places, for example before 8 A.M. or after 9 P.M. unless you agree. IF YOU ARE CONTACTED BY A IF YOU ARE BEING HARRASSED DEBT COLLECTOR BY A DEBT COLLECTOR AND Contact you at work if you tell the WISH TO FILE A COMPLAINT debt collector your employer You have a right to a written notice, CONTACT THE FOLLOWING disapproves. sent within 5 days after you are AGENCIES: contacted, providing you with the Contact you after you write a letter to following information: FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION the collection agency telling them to 600 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW stop contact, except to notify you if 1. The amount owed, WASHINGTON, DC 20580 the debt collector or creditor intends 2. The name of the creditor, and; TOLL FREE: 1-877-382-4357 or to take some specific action. 3. What action to take if you believe www.ftc.gov you don’t owe the money. Contact your friends, relatives, OR employer or others, except to find out IF YOU BELIEVE YOU DO NOT JOHNSON COUNTY CONSUMER where you live and work. They may OWE THE MONEY OR THE HOTLINE not disclose to individuals that you AMOUNT CLAIMED owe money. 913-715-3003