All debt collectors, including private individuals and debt collection agencies, are covered by Section 11 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997. This provides that a person is guilty of an offence if he/she makes any demand for payment of a debt and if:
The demands are so frequent as to be calculated to subject you or a member of your family to alarm, distress or humiliation, or
The person falsely represents that criminal proceedings lie for non-payment of the debt, or
The person falsely represents that he or she is authorised in some official capacity to enforce payment, or
The person utters a document falsely represented to have an official character
If you are subjected to such behaviour by your creditor or by a debt collection agency, you should report the matter to the Gardaí.
Report them if you think they are being heavy handed.
Apologies if this is posted elsewhere.
I have a few debts that debt collectors are chasing me for. I'm gradually discharging my debts.
I also recently didn't get paid for a job I put a lot of time and effort into and I was highly annoyed about it.
So I can see both points of view.
And maybe a bit of intimidation is necessary in some cases.