I guess before I tell you too much, I need to start with the very basic. What is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?
At its most basic, the FDCPA is a Federal Law that governs the way that debt collectors are allowed to treat you when they are trying to collect a debt.
In California, we have the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Long name – great act. I will summarize it over time, but the Department of Consumer Affairs has a great summary that you can read. It is from 2003, so it is a bit older, but definately take the time to read through it while you are reading this.