The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) gives you many rights when dealing with third-party debt collectors. This page will explain these rights and tell you how to use them.
Note: Because the federal FDCPA only applies to third-party debt collectors and not original creditors, you do not have these same rights when dealing with the original person or business to whom you owe money.
Under the FDCPA, you can inform the third-party debt collector that you want them to stop contacting you. The law requires them to cease contact unless they are letting you know that they are going to stop attempts to collect the debt or that they are taking specific legal actions against you, like filing a lawsuit.
Within five days of a debt collector contacting you, the debt collector must provide a written notice with information about the debt. The debt collector can also include this information in the initial communication. The notice must include a form you can send back to the debt collector to dispute the debt or take other actions. You must make the request within 30 days of the first contact.
If you have requested additional verification of the debt or disputed the debt, collection activities must stop until the debt collector provides verification.
If a debt collector violates one of the laws listed above, there are a few things you can do. Federal law allows you to sue the debt collector.You can also file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission.