Your questions, answered
100 clear answers about your rights, your privacy, paying safely, spotting scams, and how compliant debt recovery works — search or filter by topic.
- Your Rights
Can A Debt Collector Call Me At Work?
Workplace contact is usually a last resort and should stop on request if you give another contact method.
4 min - Your Rights
How Often Can A Debt Collector Contact Me?
Contact frequency should be reasonable; excessive, purposeless contact may amount to undue pressure.
4 min - Your Rights
What Times Can A Debt Collector Call?
Calls should occur at reasonable hours and avoid times that cause undue inconvenience or distress.
4 min - Your Rights
Can A Debt Collector Contact My Family?
Third-party contact is limited to locating you; a collector should not disclose your debt to others.
4 min - Your Rights
Do I Have To Talk To A Debt Collector?
You need not talk by phone, but engaging in writing is usually the quickest path to resolution.
4 min - Your Rights
Can I Ask For Contact In Writing Only?
You can request written-only contact; reasonable collectors usually accommodate a clear request.
4 min - Your Rights
How Do I Verify A Debt Is Mine?
Ask for details linking the debt to you and check them against your own records before paying.
5 min - Your Rights
Can I Ask For Proof Of A Debt?
You can reasonably ask for information substantiating a debt before agreeing to pay.
4 min - Your Rights
What If A Debt Is Not Mine?
Raise it promptly, ask for an investigation, and provide information supporting that the debt is not yours.
5 min - Your Rights
Can A Debt Collector Add Fees?
Extra amounts should have a proper basis and be clearly explainable; ask for a breakdown if unsure.
4 min - Your Rights
What Are My Rights With Debt Collectors?
Expect fair, respectful treatment, clear information, privacy, and a fair way to dispute or complain.
5 min - Your Rights
Can I Dispute A Debt?
You can dispute all or part of a debt, explain your reasons, and ask for an investigation.
5 min - Your Rights
How Do I Complain About A Collector?
Complain to the collector first, be clear and specific, then escalate to an external scheme if needed.
5 min - Your Rights
What Is Harassment By A Debt Collector?
Harassment is excessive, threatening, misleading, or coercive conduct, not reasonable communication.
5 min - Your Rights
Can A Debt Affect My Credit?
Some debts can be reflected in credit reporting, so addressing them early is worthwhile.
5 min - Your Rights
Can I Stop A Collector Contacting Me?
You can set reasonable contact limits, but stopping contact does not remove a genuine debt.
5 min - Your Rights
What Is A Statute-Barred Debt?
After a period, court enforcement of a debt may become unavailable; the concept is technical and varies.
5 min - Your Rights
Can I Be Taken To Court For A Debt?
Court action is possible but usually a later step; early engagement often avoids it.
5 min - Your Rights
What Happens If I Ignore A Debt?
Ignoring a genuine debt rarely helps and can escalate; engaging early usually preserves options.
5 min - Your Rights
Where Can I Get Free Debt Help?
Free, independent support exists, including the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
4 min - Privacy & Your Data
What Is the Privacy Act?
An overview of the Australian Privacy Act and the principles that guide how personal information is handled.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
How Is My Personal Information Protected?
How law, policy and practical safeguards work together to protect your personal information.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Is Credit Reporting?
A plain-English explanation of credit reporting and the rules that surround it.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Is on My Credit Report?
The kinds of information that a credit report generally contains, described conceptually.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
How Long Does a Default Stay on My File?
Why retention of credit information is set by law and varies by circumstance.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
Can I Access My Personal Information?
Your general right to access the personal information an organisation holds about you.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
How Do I Correct My Personal Information?
How to ask for a correction when personal information held about you is inaccurate.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Is a Credit Default?
A plain-English overview of what a credit default is and how the rules treat it.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
Who Can See My Credit Report?
Why access to your credit report is restricted to permitted purposes under the rules.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Is a Credit Score?
What a credit score represents and why it can differ between providers.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
How Is My Data Stored Securely?
How organisations approach keeping personal data secure, in conceptual terms.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Is a Data Breach?
What a data breach is and why a careful response matters.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Happens in a Data Breach?
The general steps organisations take when responding to a data breach.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Are My Data Rights?
An overview of the data rights individuals generally have under Australian privacy law.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
Can I Ask a Company to Delete My Data?
Why deleting personal information depends on legal obligations and circumstances.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Is the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme?
An overview of the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme and when notification applies.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
How Is Payment Data Protected?
How payment information is typically handled with extra care and recognised practices.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Is PCI DSS?
A plain-English overview of the PCI DSS payment card security standards.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
Who Do I Contact About a Privacy Concern?
Where to turn first with a privacy concern, and the regulator's role.
5 min read - Privacy & Your Data
What Is the OAIC?
An overview of the OAIC and its role as Australia's national privacy regulator.
5 min read - Conduct & Compliance
How Does Compliant Debt Recovery Work?
Fair, factual, professional recovery that respects the customer and follows the rules.
6 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Are The Debt Collection Guidelines?
Regulator guidance sets the standard: honest, fair contact without harassment or pressure.
6 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Can A Debt Collector Not Do?
No harassment, threats, deception, or unreasonable pressure — recovery has firm limits.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Is External Dispute Resolution?
A free, independent way to resolve a complaint when you and a business cannot agree.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Is AFCA?
AFCA is Australia's free, independent ombudsman for financial complaints.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
How Does The Complaints Process Work?
Raise it, get a fair response, and escalate to independent review if you are still unhappy.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Regulators Oversee Debt Collection?
Consumer and corporate regulators oversee collection, backed by independent dispute resolution.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Is ASIC?
ASIC is Australia's corporate, markets, and financial services regulator.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Is The ACCC?
The ACCC is Australia's national competition and consumer protection regulator.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Is Financial Hardship?
When someone wants to pay but cannot currently meet obligations as they fall due.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
How Is Hardship Handled?
Listen, consider circumstances, and work towards an affordable, realistic outcome.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Is A Payment Arrangement?
An agreement to repay a debt over time in affordable, realistic instalments.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
How Are Disputes Resolved?
Raise a dispute, recovery pauses, the facts are checked, and the matter is resolved fairly.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Is A Vulnerable Customer?
Someone whose circumstances mean they may need extra care, time, or support.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
How Are Vulnerable Customers Protected?
Through extra care, sensitive communication, flexibility, and referral to support.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
What Is Responsible Collection?
Recovering genuine debts fairly, accurately, and with respect for each customer's situation.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
Can A Collector Charge Interest?
Any interest or fees depend on the original agreement and the law, not the collector.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
How Are Deceased Estates Handled?
With particular care, sensitivity, and patience towards the people involved.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
Do Debt Collectors Need A Licence?
Licensing depends on the activities and the state; not every activity requires one.
5 min - Conduct & Compliance
How Do I Know A Collector Is Legitimate?
It identifies itself clearly, gives accurate information, and lets you verify who it is.
5 min - Security & Scams
How Do I Know A Merion Contact Is Real?
Confirm any Merion message by calling the number on our official website before you act.
5 min - Security & Scams
Is This Debt Message A Scam?
Learn the warning signs that a debt message may be a scam and how to check safely.
5 min - Security & Scams
How Do I Spot A Debt-Collection Scam?
Recognise the tactics scammers use to imitate debt collectors and how to stay protected.
6 min - Security & Scams
Is It Safe To Pay Online?
Understand how to pay online safely using secure pages and simple precautions.
5 min - Security & Scams
How Do I Pay A Debt Safely?
Follow simple steps to pay a debt safely using trusted, traceable methods.
5 min - Security & Scams
What Details Should I Never Share?
Know the sensitive details to keep private and how to share information safely.
4 min - Security & Scams
Can Scammers Pretend To Be Collectors?
Understand how scammers impersonate collectors and how to confirm a contact is genuine.
5 min - Security & Scams
How Do I Verify A Caller?
Learn a simple, reliable way to confirm a phone caller is genuine before sharing anything.
5 min - Security & Scams
What Is Phishing?
Understand what phishing is, how to recognise it, and how to keep your details safe.
5 min - Security & Scams
How Do I Report A Scam?
Learn the practical steps to report a scam and limit any harm.
5 min - Security & Scams
Is This SMS From A Real Collector?
Learn how to check whether a text message is genuine and how to respond safely.
4 min - Security & Scams
How Is My Card Payment Secured?
Understand the general protections behind card payments and how to pay safely.
5 min - Security & Scams
What Is Two-Factor Authentication?
Learn what two-factor authentication is, why it helps, and how to use it safely.
5 min - Security & Scams
How Do I Keep My Account Secure?
Practical, everyday habits that help keep your online accounts secure.
5 min - Security & Scams
What Is Identity Verification?
Understand what identity verification involves and how to share details safely.
5 min - Security & Scams
Why Am I Asked To Verify My Identity?
Learn why identity checks are asked for and how they protect you.
4 min - Security & Scams
Can I Pay By Bank Transfer Safely?
Learn how to make a bank transfer safely and avoid common transfer scams.
5 min - Security & Scams
What Is A Secure Payment Page?
Learn how to recognise a secure payment page before you enter any details.
4 min - Security & Scams
How Do I Protect Against Payment Fraud?
Practical steps to reduce the risk of payment fraud and act quickly if it happens.
5 min - Security & Scams
Where Do I Report A Suspicious Contact?
Know where to report a suspicious call, text or email and how to protect yourself.
4 min - For Businesses
What Can I Legally Do to Collect a Debt?
An overview of the fair, accurate and proportionate conduct creditors can use to pursue a genuine debt.
7 min read - For Businesses
What Am I Not Allowed to Do When Collecting?
The conduct creditors must avoid: harassment, deception, coercion, privacy misuse and empty threats.
7 min read - For Businesses
How Do I Engage a Debt Collector Compliantly?
How to appoint a collection agency under clear terms while managing your residual responsibility.
7 min read - For Businesses
What Records Should I Keep When Collecting a Debt?
The records creditors should keep to substantiate a debt and defend their collection conduct.
6 min read - For Businesses
Do I Need a Licence to Collect My Own Debts?
Why licensing for debt collection depends on the state and the activity, and how to approach it.
6 min read - For Businesses
What Is the Privacy Act for Business?
A plain-English overview of how Australia's privacy framework applies to creditors collecting debts.
7 min read - For Businesses
How Do I Handle Customer Data When Collecting?
Practical data-handling principles for creditors: minimise, secure, limit disclosure and dispose responsibly.
6 min read - For Businesses
What Is a Collection Conduct Policy?
What a written collection conduct policy covers and why it keeps recovery fair and consistent.
6 min read - For Businesses
How Do I Respond to a Customer Complaint?
A fair, documented approach to handling debtor complaints while collection is on foot.
6 min read - For Businesses
What Is My Obligation on Hardship?
How creditors should respond to genuine financial hardship fairly and proportionately.
6 min read - For Businesses
How Do I Handle a Disputed Debt Compliantly?
A compliant process for investigating disputes, pausing pressure and responding with evidence.
7 min read - For Businesses
Can I Report a Debt to a Credit Bureau?
Why credit listing is tightly regulated and must never be used as a casual pressure tactic.
6 min read - For Businesses
What Is Defamation Risk in Collections?
How disclosing or overstating a debt to third parties can create defamation exposure for creditors.
6 min read - For Businesses
How Do I Avoid Harassment Claims?
Practical guardrails on timing, frequency and tone that keep collection clear of harassment claims.
7 min read - For Businesses
How Do I Do Due Diligence on a Collection Agency?
What to verify before appointing a collection agency, since its conduct can reflect on you.
7 min read - For Businesses
How Do I Protect Customer Privacy in Collections?
Practical privacy safeguards for collections: limit access, verify identity, secure data, disclose narrowly.
6 min read - For Businesses
What Is an Acceptable Contact Frequency?
How to judge reasonable contact frequency so collection informs rather than overwhelms the debtor.
6 min read - For Businesses
How Do I Document Collection Activity?
How to document collection activity consistently so it serves as evidence and operational memory.
6 min read - For Businesses
What Happens if I Breach the Guidelines?
The complaint, regulatory, civil and reputational consequences of breaching collection standards.
6 min read - For Businesses
Why Use a Professional Recovery Partner?
How a commission-only recovery partner lifts recovery while lowering a creditor's compliance risk.
7 min read
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