How does debt collection work if you stop paying bills?

When you stop paying bills, the creditor will typically attempt to contact you through calls and letters for the first 30 to 90 days. After that, they may charge off the debt, meaning they write it off as a loss internally, and either sell it to a third-party debt collection agency for pennies on the dollar or hire a collection agency to pursue it on their behalf. The collection agency then takes over contact attempts and reports the delinquency to credit bureaus, damaging your credit score. If you still don't pay, the collector or original creditor can sue you in civil court. If they win a judgment, they may be able to garnish your wages or bank account depending on your state's laws.