i was a debt collector for five years in Colorado. Not sure what state you're in but generally the laws are similar. The statute of limitation is 6 years from the date of the last transaction on the account (last transaction being a payment from you). You must be taken to court and have a judgment entered against you (meaning you lose your case). From that date the statute of limitations begins all over again. You could have your wages garnished, your bank account levied (taken away) or your property (real estate) can be liened. None of these actions are possible or legal without a judgment. Once a judment is entered against you, no prior notice to you is required before any of these actions are taken.

Federal law requires that once requested in writing that no further contact be attempted, all creditors must cease any form of contact except legal service of process (a process server comes to your door and hand delivers a summons or other legal paper). It is not always in your best interest to request a cease contact. Once you do, the only notifications you can legally be contacted for is that they are ceasing collection efforts or to recieve said legal notices.