Debt collectors are not allowed to lie

It is illegal for debt collectors to lie to you or mislead you. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts, and companies that buy past-due accounts. This is based on a law called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

They cannot:

• Say you owe more than you really do,
• Pretend to be a lawyer or say legal action has been taken when it has not,
• Threaten to do things they cannot or will not actually do, like having you arrested for not paying a debt, and
• Use a fake name or pretend to be someone else.

You can take action if a debt collector lies to you 

If a debt collector breaks the law by lying to you or misleading you:  

• You can report them to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and your state attorney general, and
• You may have the right to sue them under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).