Suzanne Husted went through a rough patch about a decade ago and had to take out a pair of $300 payday loans to get by. She said she paid each back within a couple of months.
Now she's getting calls from two different debt collectors insisting that $2,400 in principal and interest is owed and that she better come across with some scratch or she'll be dragged into court.
"When I ask when I took out the loans, they say it was in 2010 and 2011, which I know didn't happen," Husted, 53, told me. "When I ask for statements confirming the loans, they say I can only see them after they file lawsuits against me."
Husted said she's started sending money to the collectors "out of fear" but wants to know if there's a better way to handle this situation.
There is — and it begins with knowing your rights.
"Consumers have very strong rights," said Alec Trueblood, a Los Angeles lawyer who specializes in fighting debt collectors.
He added: "A lot of consumers probably don't know that they can end harassment by debt collectors just by mailing a letter."
Consumer debt is growing again, and that's emboldening debt-collection firms that purchase obligations for pennies on the dollar and aggressively try to squeeze cash from borrowers.