I need some advice on what to do next. I have an old debt with an energy company that I couldn’t pay last year. It’s been passed to a debt collection agency, and their methods are really starting to scare me. I haven’t ignored them completely, but I can’t afford the lump sum they demand in their letters.
Last week, they sent me a text message (not a letter) stating that if I didn’t contact them immediately to arrange payment, they would schedule a “doorstep visit” to my home to discuss my assets. It also mentioned additional fees being added. This feels like intimidation, especially sending it by text, which feels very invasive.
I live alone, and the thought of someone just showing up at my door is terrifying. Is this a common scare tactic, or can they actually send someone to my house for a routine consumer debt collection? More importantly, how do I legally stop these threats and get them to communicate with me properly? I just want this to stop so I can deal with the debt on my own terms.