Under both the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act as well as the state consumer laws of Washington and Oregon, a collector may contact certain 3rd parties in connection with a consumer’s debt. A collector may contact a consumer’s attorney, the original creditor and its employees and legal counsel, the consumer’s spouse or guardian, a co-debtor and the consumer’s parent if the debtor happens to be a minor.

It’s a pretty short list and if a collector is contacting someone you know who isn’t on this list, a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act has likely already occurred.