If a debt collector is contacting you, you have protections under federal law. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) generally prohibits abusive, unfair, or deceptive collection tactics for many personal/household debts (like credit cards, medical bills, car loans, student loans, mortgages, and more).
First: Know what’s covered
The FDCPA protections apply to many household debts, but business debts aren’t covered by this law.
What debt collectors can and can’t do
Limits on when and how they contact you
Collectors are restricted in their contact methods and frequency. For example, they generally:
- can’t contact you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. (unless you agree),
- can’t call you at work if you tell them you’re not allowed to get calls there,
- must stop contacting you by email/text (or private social messages) if you ask them to stop,
- can’t call more than seven times in a seven-day period about a particular debt (or within seven days after speaking with you).
They can still try to reach you through calls, letters, emails, texts, or private social messages—within those legal boundaries.
They can’t harass, lie, or shame you publicly
Examples listed include bans on threats, obscene language, misrepresenting who they are (like pretending to be an attorney or the government), and publicly revealing your debt (such as using postcards or putting debt details on envelopes).
What information they must give you (“validation information”)
A collector must provide key details about the debt either during the first contact or within five days, including:
- the collector’s name and mailing address
- the name of the creditor
- how much you owe (including interest/fees, payments, and credits)
- what to do if you don’t think it’s your debt
- your rights (including the ability to request info about the original creditor within 30 days)
Important safety tip: Don’t share personal or financial info until you’ve gotten that validation information or you’re already familiar with the collector.
If you don’t think the debt is yours (or the amount is wrong)
After you receive the validation information, if you still don’t recognize the debt (or disagree with some/all of it), you can send a dispute letter asking for verification.
Key deadlines and effects:
- Send your dispute within 30 days.
- Once the collector receives your dispute letter, they must stop collecting until they send written verification (like a copy of the original bill).
- If you don’t dispute within 30 days, the collector will assume the debt is legitimate.
How to stop contact (even if you still owe the debt)
You can tell a collector to stop contacting you by sending a letter by mail and keeping copies for your records (the source suggests certified mail and a return receipt as documentation).
After the company receives your stop-contact letter, it can generally only contact you to confirm it will stop or to notify you of a specific action it plans to take (like filing a lawsuit).
Paying when multiple debts are involved
If a collector is trying to collect more than one debt, you can direct which debt your payment applies to, and they must apply it that way. They also can’t apply a payment to a debt you say you don’t owe.
Lawsuits, wage garnishment, and bank account seizures
If you’re sued, don’t ignore it—respond by the deadline in the court papers (personally or through an attorney).
A collector can take money from your paycheck or bank account only after suing you and getting a court order (garnishment).
Some federal benefits are generally exempt from court-ordered garnishment, with noted exceptions (like delinquent taxes, child/spousal support, or student loans).
Old debts and “time-barred” debts
Debt doesn’t usually disappear, but collectors have a limited window to sue—this is the statute of limitations, which often starts when you miss a payment. Once it expires, the debt is considered time-barred.
Key points to know:
- If a debt is time-barred, it’s against the law for a collector to sue you for not paying it.
- In some states, making a payment (or even acknowledging the debt in writing) can restart the clock, potentially reviving the collector’s ability to sue.
- Negative debt info can generally remain on your credit report for seven years.
- If you settle an old debt, get a signed letter stating the amount settles the entire debt and keep records of payments.
How to report illegal collection behavior
If you believe a collector is doing something illegal, the source lists reporting options including your state attorney general, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
It also notes you may be able to sue a collector in state or federal court within one year of the violation, potentially recovering damages (and in some cases up to $1,000 plus attorney’s fees/costs), though you may still owe the underlying debt even if the collector violated the law.