A Debt collector is a party who uses any instrument of interstate commerce or the mails in any business, the principal purpose of which is the collection of any debts, or who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due another.
Debt collectors are not court officials and do not have the same powers as bailiffs. They can not enter your home or seize your possessions.
Debt collectors also work with or in, in-house collections department of an original creditor or a collection agency to track down debtors and get them to pay what they owe. Debt collectors can be relentless, often using scare tactics, humiliation and repeated phone calls to extract payments or promises to pay.
There are two types of debt collectors: firms that collect debts owed to third parties and creditors (firms to whom you owe money directly).