That tactic has been shot down by the courts, but there are some big loopholes to it. Any acknowledgement of the debt (normally in writing) or any token payment

That tactic has been shot down by the courts, but there are some big loopholes to it. Any acknowledgement of the debt (normally in writing) or any token payment by the debtor can reset the clock. Sometimes, debt collectors employ shady practices to get the statute reset, such as telling the debtor, "If you pay us $10, we'll stop calling you for three months." This token payment will reset the clock.