What debt collectors legally can't do to you

Owing money doesn't give a debt collector the right to harass you. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the CFPB's rule that implements it (Regulation F) set strict limits on third-party debt collectors — companies collecting debts owed to someone else, including debt buyers.

When and how often they can contact you

• Not before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your local time, unless you agree to it
• Not at work if they know or have reason to know your employer doesn't allow it
• Not more than 7 calls in 7 days about a particular debt, or within 7 days after they've actually talked to you about it — past that, they're presumed to be harassing you
• They must honor your requests about how to reach you — you can tell them not to call a certain number, or to stop using email or texts. Every electronic message must include an easy way to opt out

What they can't say or do

• Threaten violence, arrest, or jail — you can't be arrested for owing a consumer debt
• Threaten actions they can't or won't take, like a lawsuit they have no intention of filing, or wage garnishment without a court judgment
• Lie about the amount, about being a lawyer or government agency, or about what happens if you don't pay
• Use obscene or abusive language
• Tell other people about your debt — they can contact others only to find your contact info, and can't say why they're calling
• Add fees or interest not allowed by the original agreement or by law
• Sue or threaten to sue on debt that's past the statute of limitations

Your two most powerful moves

1. Ask for validation. Within 5 days of first contacting you, a collector has to send a validation notice with the amount, the creditor, and how to dispute. If you dispute in writing within 30 days of receiving it, they must stop collecting until they send you verification of the debt. Don't pay or admit the debt is yours before you've checked it.

2. Tell them to stop. Send a letter saying to stop contacting you. After that, they can only contact you to confirm they're stopping or to tell you about a specific action, like a lawsuit. Stopping contact doesn't erase the debt — they can still sue — but it ends the calls.

Send both by certified mail with a return receipt, and keep copies.

If they break the rules

• Keep a log: date, time, who called, and what was said. Save voicemails and letters
• Report them to the CFPB (consumerfinance.gov/complaint), the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov), and your state attorney general
• You can sue within one year of the violation. You can recover actual damages, up to $1,000 in additional damages, and attorney's fees — which is why many consumer lawyers take these cases at no upfront cost

Who's covered

The FDCPA covers third-party collectors and debt buyers. It generally doesn't cover the original creditor collecting its own debt (like your credit card company's in-house collections), though many states have their own laws that do.

Quick reference

• Calls only 8 a.m.–9 p.m., and no more than 7 in 7 days
• No threats, lies, abuse, or telling others about your debt
• Dispute in writing within 30 days → they must stop until they verify
• Tell them in writing to stop contacting you — they must (the debt remains)
• Violations: log everything, report to the CFPB, and you can sue within 1 year