What debt collectors may not do, and the frauds engineered for immigrants.
What debt collectors can and cannot doFederal law (the FDCPA) puts hard limits on debt collectors: no harassment, no lies, no threats. And you always have the right to make them prove the debt is real and yours before paying a cent.
The scams built specifically for newcomersScammers profile newcomers deliberately: you don't know what's normal, you fear anything touching your status, and you may hesitate to call the police. Knowing the scripts is most of the defence.
Signing contracts in the US — read before you inkThe US is a contract culture: gyms, phones, leases, everything. Assume there is no general right to cancel after signing — the famous 'cooling-off rule' is much narrower than people think.