How to deal with debt collectors
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) gives you specific, enforceable rights. Here's how to use them.
Request debt validation
Within 30 days of first contact, send a written request for validation. The collector must stop all collection activity until they produce proof you owe the debt.
Send a cease-communication letter
You can demand in writing that a collector stop contacting you. After receiving it, they may only contact you once more, to say they'll stop, or to notify you of a lawsuit.
What collectors cannot do
- Call before 8am or after 9pm
- Contact you at work if you tell them not to
- Threaten arrest, wage garnishment, or lawsuits they can't take
- Contact family, neighbors, or coworkers about your debt
- Use profanity, threats, or repeated calls to harass
- Misrepresent the amount or legal status of the debt
How to sue
Each FDCPA violation entitles you to up to $1,000 in statutory damages, plus actual damages and attorney's fees. Most consumer-protection attorneys take these cases on contingency.
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StopAndDesist provides self-help templates and is not a law firm. This page is information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Related letters, calculators, and guides
Keep going, here are the most useful pages for people who read this one.
The general-purpose C&D template with statute citations.
Estimate what a debt collector owes you before you send your letter.
The full checklist of illegal collector behavior.
How to negotiate pay-for-delete and lump-sum offers.
The official channel for reporting FDCPA violations.