Although a collection agency has a legitimate right to collect for its clients, it does not have the right to harass and threaten the debtor.
This collection agency telephoned my 21 year old son to collect on a small medical bill (less than $200). The collector told my son that if he did not pay the debt within the next ten minutes his credit would be ruined. My son said that he needed to call me to see how to pay the bill, and the collector told him that if he hung up the phone to call me that his credit would be ruined.
This conduct seems to be a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.