Ah debt collectors. Dealing with them is about as enjoyable as getting a root canal. But, unfortunately, for anyone in debt, debt collectors come with the territory. 
Luckily, there are ways to deal with those out to collect. There are also ways to get debt collectors to see your point of view and lower the amount you owe.

Before you begin dealing with any debt collector, consider the following:

Make Sure Your Debt is Accurate: Before paying off any debt, whether to a collection agency or a creditor, it’s in your best interest to take one initial step: make sure your debt is accurate. In other words, go through the bill with a fine toothed comb and make certain that the debt you are about to pay off is indeed yours.

Dispute if Something Seems Wrong: If there is a charge on your bill that your creditor can’t prove, dispute it. If they have no proof that you should legitimately be charged 500 dollars worth of late fees, for instance, challenge them. It may dramatically reduce what you owe.

Know the Statute of Limitations: Depending on where you live, your debt may have a statute of limitations. It’s quite common for a collection agency to seek you aggressively right before this statute runs out. If your statute is going to expire in a few weeks, it might benefit you to simply ignore the collectors. They are, after all, probably the number one reason Caller ID was invented.

Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate: In this day and age, it seems there is little that can’t be negotiated. Debt, for example, can almost always be haggled. Most creditors and collection agencies will negotiate with you, believing it’s better for them to recover a partial payment rather than no payment at all. If you are having a hard time negotiating on your own, employ the help of a third party debt settlement company. They will negotiate for you.

Have your Creditor Sign off on the Debt: If a collection agency offers to settle with you - allowing you to pay $5,000 on your $8,000 - your original creditor can still come after you for the difference. Because of this, it’s essential that any deals you make with your collection agencies are also agreed, and signed off on, by your original creditors.

Record Everything: Whenever you are dealing with a collection agency or a creditor, it’s a good idea to record everything: extensive documentation is a great way to get your side heard. Write down names of people you speak with and dates and times, save emails you send, and photocopy letters. It’s also a good idea to send letters via Certified mail: that way no one can say they didn’t receive them.

Don’t Sign Anything Just Yet: Before signing anything, be sure you read all the fine print - yes, all of it. If the language is over your head, solicit the help of an attorney. Signing something you don’t understand or you haven’t read may open up a whole can of very expensive worms.

Don’t Give out Bank Account Info: When you go to pay off your debt, it might seem easy to simply give out your bank account number and have the creditor or collection agency make an automatic withdrawal. It’s easy, but it’s also dangerous. Creditors and collection agencies can both have some tricks up their sleeves - they may decide to withdrawal three months of payments at once. Thus, it’s a good idea to keep them in check, and far away from your bank account.

Don’t Be Pushed Around: There are laws and rules set in place that govern how collection agencies can act. If you feel as if you are being harassed or pushed around, don’t allow it. You can file a complaint with your state office and, if things get really bad, you can even sue the collection agency for damages. Keep yourself in control by making sure the collection agencies keep their cool.

No one said dealing with debt collectors was fun, but - when you know how to do it right - it’s not nearly as impossible as you might think. Debt collectors will have some tricks up their sleeves, so make sure you have some as well.