In collecting or attempting to collect an alleged debt a collector may not: (1) Use or threaten force or violence; (2) Threaten criminal prosecution, unless the transaction involved the violation of a criminal statute; (3) Disclose or threaten to disclose information which affects the debtor's reputation for credit worthiness with knowledge that the information is false; (4) Except as permitted by statute, contact a person's employer with respect to a delinquent indebtedness before obtaining final judgment against the debtor; (5) Except as permitted by statute, disclose or threaten to disclose to a person other than the debtor or his spouse or, if the debtor is a minor, his parent, information which affects the debtor's reputation, whether or not for credit worthiness, with knowledge that the other person does not have a legitimate business need for the information; (6) Communicate with the debtor or a person related to him with the frequency, at the unusual hours, or in any other manner as reasonably can be expected to abuse or harass the debtor; (7) Use obscene or grossly abusive language in communicating with the debtor or a person related to him; (8) Claim, attempt, or threaten to enforce a right with knowledge that the right does not exist; (9) Use a communication which simulates legal or judicial process or gives the appearance of being authorized, issued, or approved by a government, governmental agency, or lawyer when it is not; (10) Engage in unlicensed debt collection activity in violation of the Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Act; or (11) Engage in any conduct that violates §§ 804 through 812 of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
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