Debt Evasion

Debt evasion is the intentional act of trying to avoid attempts by creditors to collect or pursue one's debt. At an elementary level, this includes the refusal to answer one's phone by screening one's calls or by ignoring mailed notices informing the debtor of the debt. In more advanced cases, this includes misleading the creditor to believe the debtor does not reside at the location where the creditor is attempting to reach the debtor.

Debt evasion is common because many people are scared of creditors when they owe money and feel uncomfortable confronting those attempting to collect debt. But evasion does not make the debt disappear, and does not make the debtor any less liable toward the creditor.

In most cases, debt evasion is not a criminal act. The majority of democracies prohibit imprisonment of people who are in debt as a method of forcing their repayment. The only democracy that still allows imprisonment of those in debt is Israel, and the country has been taking steps to eliminate this practice.