Learn what debt collection is, how it works, and your rights as a consumer. Discover ways to handle debt collectors effectively.

A debt setoff letter is a formal attempt to collect a debt owed to a federal or state agency. These letters contain debtors’ names, their addresses, their claim numbers and the amount they owe.

But one of the most powerful ways to save money is often overlooked: paying down debt. During National Financial Literacy Month in April, consider thinking about debt in a different way.

The latest mishap, which the spokesperson said was caused by a March 28 “mailroom mistake,” saw 226 collection letters containing residents’ names, addresses, claim numbers and debt amounts ...

Only when they asked the debt collector for a debt validation letter to prove that they own ... by the time debt is turned over to a collection agency, credit score damage has often occurred).