Debt collection agencies insist that they always follow the law when contacting families and have even taken a kinder, gentler approach because of the recession.

We see little evidence of that.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says collection agencies threaten to throw people in jail, take away their homes, pose as lawyers serving lawsuits, tell neighbors and employers about unpaid bills and call at all hours -- all of which is illegal.

Take a look at a portion of "Debt Trap," an excellent Dateline NBC investigation by Chris Hansen. It shows how workers at a collection agency in the Buffalo, N.Y., area, routinely coerced debtors by claiming to be police officers and threatening to have them picked up.

In May, Cuomo obtained a court order shutting down two debt collection companies, Emanee Development Inc. and Dial Tech LLC, that had used fraudulent tactics like that to get people to pay debts they didn't even owe.

In June, Cuomo announced that three companies based in western New York that try to collect debts across the country had agreed to pay $245,000 in fines for breaking state and federal debt collection laws.

Creditors Interchange Receivable Management LLC, Capital Management Services LP and Tri-Financial LLC also agreed to make it easier for consumers to file complaints against individual employees by placing a direct link on their Web sites to consumer complaint forms.

Cuomo said his office is investigating possible violations at more that 30 other collection agencies.

If you're dealing with aggressive collection calls, our 10-step plan to get debt collectors off your back will help you deal with their demands.

These are the 10 things debt collectors can't do under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

And here's how to file a complaint when debt collectors cross the line.