Collection Agencies - Prohibited Activities

Although businesses usually try to collect their unpaid bills themselves, if they are unable to do so they may turn your account over to a collection agency. All collection agencies who collect debt from people in Prince Edward Island have to be licensed by the Financial and Consumer Services Division of the Justice and Public Safety Departement.

There are certain activities that are prohibited under the Collection Agencies Act and its Regulations.

A Collector may not:

•  collect or attempt to collect money without first being satisfied that you owe the money to the creditor
•  telephone, visit or send mail to your place of employment
•  collect more than you owe the creditor
•  contact you after the hours of 9:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. or on a Sunday
•  pretend to be someone else or use forms not filed with the registrar
•  make collect telephone calls to you or charge you for telephone calls, telegrams or mail costs
•  threaten you with action outside the authority of the collection agency
•  make such frequent contacts as to constitute harassment
•  contact other people including your employer, family, friends or neighbours except to obtain your address
•  include your spouse in collection or court actions unless your spouse has also signed for the debt
•  use coercive language, cite loss of employment or loss of community ranking or give false information to anyone that could cause you or your family problems at work
• contact you after receiving written notice to communicate through your legal counsel

For further information on prohibited activities, please review section 5 of the Collection Agencies Act Regulations.

File a Complaint

You may file a complaint against a collection agency or collector if you think that they are engaging in prohibited activities or acting without a valid PEI license. 

Who can I contact for more information?

Financial and Consumer Services
Shaw Building, 1st Floor
105 Rochford Street
P.O. Box 2000
Charlottetown, PE  C1A 7N8
​Telephone:  (902) 368-4550
Fax:  (902) 368-5283
Email:  ccs@gov.pe.ca