A collection agency, or its manager, agents or employees, shall not:

1. Use any device, subterfuge, pretense or deceptive means or representations to collect any debt, nor use any collection letter, demand or notice which simulates a legal process or purports to be from any local, city, county, state or government authority or attorney.

2. Collect or attempt to collect any interest, charge, fee or expense incidental to the principal obligation unless:

(a) Any such interest, charge, fee or expense as authorized by law or as agreed to by the parties has been added to the principal of the debt by the creditor before receipt of the item of collection;

(b) Any such interest, charge, fee or expense as authorized by law or as agreed to by the parties has been added to the principal of the debt by the collection agency and described as such in the first written communication with the debtor; or

(c) The interest, charge, fee or expense has been judicially determined as proper and legally due from and chargeable against the debtor.

3. Assign or transfer any claim or account upon termination or abandonment of its collection business unless prior written consent by the customer is given for the assignment or transfer. The written consent must contain an agreement with the customer as to all terms and conditions of the assignment or transfer, including the name and address of the intended assignee. Prior written consent of the Commissioner must also be obtained for any bulk assignment or transfer of claims or accounts, and any assignment or transfer may be regulated and made subject to such limitations or conditions as the Commissioner by regulation may reasonably prescribe.

4. Operate its business or solicit claims for collection from any location, address or post office box other than that listed on its license or as may be prescribed by the Commissioner.

5. Harass a debtor’s employer in collecting or attempting to collect a claim, nor engage in any conduct that constitutes harassment as defined by regulations adopted by the Commissioner.

6. Advertise for sale or threaten to advertise for sale any claim as a means to enforce payment of the claim, unless acting under court order.

7. Publish or post, or cause to be published or posted, any list of debtors except for the benefit of its stockholders or membership in relation to its internal affairs.

8. Conduct or operate, in conjunction with its collection agency business, a debt counseling or prorater service for a debtor who has incurred a debt primarily for personal, family or household purposes whereby the debtor assigns or turns over to the counselor or prorater any of the debtor’s earnings or other money for apportionment and payment of the debtor’s debts or obligations. This section does not prohibit the conjunctive operation of a business of commercial debt adjustment with a collection agency if the business deals exclusively with the collection of commercial debt.

(Added to NRS by 1969, 833; A 1983, 1719; 1987, 1896; 1989, 1448; 1993, 2417)