Collections
When an unpaid debt is handed or sold to a debt collector after missed payments. It can hurt your credit score.
After several missed payments, a lender may send a debt to a collection agency or sell it. A collection account can stay on your credit report for up to about 7 years from when you first fell behind.
Federal law limits what collectors can do. They cannot harass you or lie about what you owe. They must tell you the amount and who the creditor is, and you have the right to dispute a debt you do not recognize. The CFPB has sample letters for this.