I came home today to a voicemail from the Law Offices of Darren J. Devlin. They didn't leave much detail, just said to call them back regarding an "important matter." I have some old debt from a few years back, so I'm assuming it's related to that.
Honestly, I'm a little stressed about it. I've read that debt collection law firms can be pretty aggressive, but I also know I have rights. From what I've learned, I shouldn't just call them back without being prepared. I think the first thing I should do is request a debt validation letter in writing so they have to prove the debt is mine and show me the original creditor details.
I also saw that the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act protects consumers from harassment – they can't call late at night or use threatening language. If they get too aggressive, I might need to send a cease and desist letter.
Has anyone here received calls from this firm? Did you settle with them or dispute the debt? I'm trying to figure out my next steps and would love to hear how others handled it. Also, does anyone know if the statute of limitations might apply here? I'm in MA, and the debt is probably from around 2021 or so.
Any guidance would be really helpful right now. Thanks in advance.

https://consumerlawfirmcenter.com/law-offices-of-darren-j-devlin-calling/