<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Can a debt collector call you at work?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it,” reads a page on the Federal Trade Commission’s website.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“And collectors may not contact you at work if they’re told (orally or in writing) that you’re not allowed to get calls there.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act says debt collectors can neither harass nor threaten consumers, and it prohibits them from lying about the amount owed.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Additionally, the law says they can only communicate with third parties to seek debtors’ contact information.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Examples of harassment listed in the FDCPA:</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The use or threat of use of violence or other criminal means to harm the physical person, reputation, or property of any person.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The use of obscene or profane language or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“The advertisement for sale of any debt to coerce payment of the debt.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“Causing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Under state law, collectors can’t discuss a debt, or divulge that someone owes money, unless they have a court judgment or written permission from the debtor.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">For more information, call the state Attorney General’s Office at 800-351-4889 or the FTC at 877-382-4357.</span>

<span class="R~sep~AZaphdingbatdot7pt">l</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.ftc.gov; www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb.</span>

<span class="R~sep~AHeadBrief">Ferry must undergo Coast Guard checks</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The large Cameron ferry went out of service for</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">repairs over a year ago. When will it be back in service considering all the construction traffic with the LNG plants and new port being built?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The ferry, which remains in dry dock, will return to service once the U.S. Coast Guard inspects it and approves it for use, said Deidra Druilhet, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation and Development.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Once approval is given by USCG to leave the shipyard, and it is returned to Cameron, DOTD crews will need to conduct some additional work,”</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Druilhet wrote in an email.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Upon completion of this work, USCG will conduct a</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">final inspection before it is returned to service. At this time, we estimate the Cameron Ferry to return to service in September 2016.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~AZaphdingbatdot7pt">l</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.dotd.la.gov.</span>

<span class="R~sep~AZaphdingbatdot7pt">l</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">informer@ameri</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">canpress.com.</span>