Okay, so now that you know what the Acts are, what is covered by the Acts? I mean, is me lending $20 to my buddy and trying to get the money back covered by the Acts? How about if you bounce a check to a small business and they call you asking you to make good on it? Are these covered?
A debt collector is anyone who collects a debt. This includes attorneys, usually. (There is some discussion about whether an attorney is a debt collector if they do not regularly engage in collecting debts.) Collection agencies are debt collectors.
Okay, but what is a debt? After all, a debt collector is someone who collects a debt, so you need to know what a debt is, right? A debt is a personal, family or household debt. This includes credit cards, automobile purchases, revolving accounts, etc…. Basically, if you buy something on credit for yourself or your family, it is a debt under the Acts.