Debt collectors are individuals or companies that collect debts owed to others or have the primary purpose of collecting debts. They can include collection agencies, lawyers, or companies that buy past-due debts from creditors or other businesses and then try to collect them. Debt collectors are likely to contact individuals who owe a specific debt. They use letters, phone calls, and electronic means of communication such as email, text, and social media messages to contact delinquent borrowers and convince them to repay what they owe. Debt collectors may also conduct searches for a debtors assets, such as bank and brokerage accounts, to determine their ability to repay. If a debt collector is contacting an individual for payment on a debt, there is certain information they usually must give in the initial communication or within five days of that initial communication. Debt collectors are forbidden to harass or threaten individuals or treat them differently because of their race, sex, age, or other characteristics. They may not publicize any debt an individual owes or try to deceive them to collect a debt, nor may they pretend to be law enforcement agents or threaten them with arrest. Debt collection is a legitimate business, and if a debt collector contacts an individual, its not a scam.