Section 18.17 - Harassment or Abuse - Debt CollectionA debt collector may not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of 209 CMR 18.17:
(1) The use or threat of use of violence or other criminal means to harm the physical person, reputation, or property of any person.(2) The use of obscene or profane language or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader.(3) The advertisement for sale of any debt to coerce payment of the debt.(4) Causing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.(5) Except as provided in 209 CMR 18.15, the placement of telephone calls without meaningful disclosure of the caller's identity.(6) Visiting the household of a consumer at times other than the normal waking hours of such consumer, or if normal waking hours are not known, at any time other than between 8:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M.; provided however, that in no event shall such visits, initiated by the debt collector, exceed one in any 30-day period for each debt, excluding visits where no person is contacted in the household, unless a consumer consents in writing to more frequent visits; provided further, that at all times the creditor must remain outside the household, unless expressly invited inside by such consumer; and provided further, that visits to the household of a consumer which are solely for the purpose of repossessing any collateral or property of the creditor (including, but not limited to, credit cards, drafts, notes or the like), are not limited under 209 CMR 18.17(6).(7) Visiting the place of employment of a consumer, unless requested by the consumer excluding visits which are solely for the purpose of repossessing any collateral or property of the creditor, or confrontations with a consumer regarding the collection of a debt initiated by a debt collector in a public place excluding courthouses, the debt collector's place of business, other places agreed to by a consumer, offices of any attorney for the consumer, or places where the conversation between persons representing the debt collector and a consumer cannot be reasonably overheard by any other person not authorized by the consumer;Amended by Mass Register Issue 1448, eff. 7/1/2021.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1452, eff. 9/17/2021.