Debts may be removed from a credit report for various reasons and the fact that it is removed from a credit report does not mean that it is no longer enforceable by law.  The same way, just because a debt is on a credit report does not mean that it is still enforceable by law. So in essence, yes, you can be contacted by a creditor or debt collector regardless of the way in which the account shows up on your credit report.

There are two laws that apply to debts being legally reported to credit bureaus and debts being legally collected.  The first one is the seven-year reporting limit on most debts that is enforced through the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The second one is the statute of imitations regarding how long a consumer is legally responsible for paying back a debt. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the statute of limitations on a debt is effected by the type of debt and individual state laws. The statute of limitations only applies to a collector who is trying to sue for a debt. According to the FTC, a collector can still contact a debtor about a past due account even after the statute of limitations has expired, but the debtor is no longer legally obligated to pay. If a debtor pays any money on a past due debt, that is sometimes reason enough to legally restart the statute of limitations and enable the debt collector to sue the consumer.

When reviewing your credit report, make sure that you recognize the accounts and loans on your credit report as accounts that you have opened. Then check that the information reported by each of the creditors on your credit report is correct. If you find information that you believe is not correct, contact the company that issued the account or the credit reporting company that issued the report.

Some common warning signs of identity theft are: 

• Credit card charges that you don't recognize
• Calls or letters about things you didn't buy
• Bills that arrive on unusual days or that stop arriving
• New credit cards or statements for accounts that you didn't open
• Denials of credit for no apparent reason
• Information on your credit report you don't recognize