Credit Bureau of Canada Collections: Who Is Calling You?

Why they are contacting you

A creditor — commonly a telecom, utility, retailer or lender — has referred an unpaid account. It could be a debt you recognise, an old account you forgot, a billing error, or a scam using the company's name. Verify before you pay.

How to verify the debt

• Ask for the original creditor's name, the account number and an itemised balance in writing
• Pull your free Equifax and TransUnion reports and look for the collection entry
• Call the agency back using a number you looked up independently, not one left in a voicemail
• Confirm the agency's licence with your provincial consumer protection office

Your options

If the debt is valid and recent, you can pay in full, negotiate a reduced lump-sum settlement, or arrange a payment plan. If it is past your province's limitation period, get advice before paying. If you dispute it, say so in writing. If you're dealing with several collection accounts at once, compare a consumer proposal before negotiating each one separately.

Free tools

Related guides

• Your Rights When a Collection Agency CallsWhat collection agencies can and can't do in Canada, how to verify a debt, limitation periods by province, and which provincial regulator to complain to.
• Consumer Proposal in Canada: How It WorksHow a consumer proposal works in Canada: who qualifies, the $250,000 limit, the 5-year maximum, the creditor vote, credit impact and what it costs.
• What Is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee?What a Licensed Insolvency Trustee does in Canada, how fees are regulated, what to bring to the first meeting and how to check a trustee's licence with the OSB.