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Your Rights · FDCPA

Collectors Keep Calling. Here's What They Can and Can't Do.

Federal law puts real limits on debt collectors. Knowing them takes a lot of the fear out of the phone ringing, and the two letters below put you back in control.

Last reviewed November 2026

Who these rules cover

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the CFPB's Regulation F apply to third-party debt collectors: collection agencies, debt buyers, and lawyers who regularly collect debts. They mostly don't cover the original creditor collecting its own debt, though some states, including California through its Rosenthal Act, extend similar rules to original creditors too.

Your core rights

You get a validation notice

Within five days of first contacting you, a collector has to give you a written validation notice. It shows how much they say you owe, who the creditor is, an itemization of interest, fees, payments and credits, and the date by which you can dispute.

You can dispute, and they have to pause

If you dispute the debt in writing within the validation period (it ends about 30 days after you receive the notice, and the notice gives the exact date), the collector has to stop collecting until it mails you verification of the debt.

Limits on calls and contact

You can tell them to stop

Once you tell a collector in writing to stop contacting you, they can only reach out to confirm they're stopping or to tell you about a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Stopping contact doesn't make the debt go away, and they can still sue, but it ends the calls.

Things collectors are never allowed to do

Old debts: be careful before you pay anything

Each state sets a deadline for suing on a debt, often 3 to 6 years. In some states, making even a small payment or acknowledging the debt in writing can restart that clock. Separately, most negative items, including collection accounts, can stay on your credit report for up to 7 years from the date you first fell behind, no matter how many times the debt is sold. If a debt is old, get the validation details and check your state's rules before you send money.

Free letters you can copy and send

Fill in the brackets, print, sign, and mail. Use certified mail with return receipt so you have proof, and keep a copy. Don't include your full Social Security number or bank details, and don't admit the debt is yours if you aren't sure.

1. Dispute and request for verification

Send this within the validation period if you don't recognize the debt, think the amount is wrong, or just want proof.

[Your name]
[Your mailing address]
[Date]

[Collector's name]
[Collector's mailing address]

Re: Reference/account number [number from their notice]

To whom it may concern:

I am writing about the debt you say I owe, described in your notice dated [date]. I dispute this debt. Please stop all collection activity until you send me verification of it.

Please send me:
1. The name and address of the original creditor and the account number with that creditor.
2. An itemized statement showing how you calculated the amount you are seeking, including all interest, fees, payments and credits.
3. Proof that you own this debt or are authorized to collect it.
4. A copy of any document showing I agreed to pay it.

This letter is not an acknowledgment that I owe this debt.

Please communicate with me only in writing at the address above.

Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Printed name]

2. Stop or limit contact

Use this when the calls are too much. You can choose to stop all contact, or only limit how they reach you.

[Your name]
[Your mailing address]
[Date]

[Collector's name]
[Collector's mailing address]

Re: Reference/account number [number]

To whom it may concern:

[Choose one and delete the other]

OPTION A: Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, I am requesting that you stop all communication with me about this debt, except as the law allows.

OPTION B: I am requesting that you contact me only in writing at the address above. Do not call me at home, at work, or on my cell phone, and do not contact me by text or email.

Do not contact my employer, family members, friends or neighbors about this debt.

This letter is not an acknowledgment that I owe this debt.

Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Printed name]

The CFPB covers these same rights in its guide, Know your rights when a debt collector calls.

If a collector breaks the rules

  1. Write it down: date, time, the caller's name and company, and what was said. Save voicemails, letters, texts and emails.
  2. File a complaint with the CFPB and your state attorney general. You can also report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
  3. Talk to a consumer attorney. Under the FDCPA you can recover your actual damages plus up to $1,000 in additional damages, and the collector can be ordered to pay your attorney's fees. That's why many consumer attorneys will look at these cases at no upfront cost. The National Association of Consumer Advocates has a directory.

Signs it may be a scam, not a real collector: they won't send a written notice or give a mailing address, they demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, payment app or crypto, they threaten arrest, or they pressure you to pay "today only." Hang up and look up the original creditor yourself.

Already been sued? Go to our lawsuit and garnishment guide. The deadline to respond matters more than anything on this page.

Sources

These templates are general information, not legal advice. If you've been sued or think a collector broke the law, talk to an attorney or legal aid office.