Debt collectors get a bad rap for a reason—they have a habit of not leaving you alone when you miss a payment or owe money.

Worse, they can legally contact people around you to find out where you are:

If a bill collector cannot locate you, it is allowed to reach out to third parties, such as relatives, neighbors or your employer, but only to find you. They aren’t allowed to disclose that you owe a debt or discuss your finances with others. Still it can be embarrassing if the person they called starts asking you pointed questions.

On top of a revolving debt negatively impacting your credit score and your ability to get a loan or finance a purchase, the fact that debt collectors can call people in your life to find you is reason enough to pay down those accounts and negotiate a way out—before the phone starts ringing.