Debtors enjoy some safeguards before crossing that Rubicon of bankruptcy, which consigns them to a financial wilderness for some time.

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act, creditors and their agents, the debtor enjoys:

> Debt collectors may call no earlier than 9 a.m. nor later than 9 p.m., and may not contact people at unreasonable times and places (including work if an employer disapproves).

> In the main, collectors cannot contract friends, relatives, an employer except for purposes of location.

> Collectors are prohibited from "whisper" campaigns at collection, that is, ""[t]hey can’t tell the people they call or contact that you owe money. And collectors are generally prohibited from contacting such parties more than once."

> Collectors cannot make "false statements to you, including that you will be arrested."

> They cannot threaten a creditor actually intends the collection agency actually intends to do so and such collection is legal."

Upon request, collectors must provide a debt within five days after first of being first contacted.

Debtors have the right to contract a collection telling it to stop. Such debtor from his or her obligation.