How do I get a debt collector to stop calling or contacting me? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2024)

FAQs

How do I get a debt collector to stop calling or contacting me? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? ›

If you ask a debt collector to stop all contact – regardless of the communications channel – the collector must stop. Keep in mind, though, that you could still owe the debt. If you don't want a debt collector to contact you again, write a letter to the debt collector saying so.

How do I stop a debt collector from contacting me? Mail a letter to the collection company and ask it to stop contacting you. Keep a copy for yourself. Consider sending the letter by certified mail and paying for a “return receipt.”

If you are struggling with debt and debt collectors, Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC can help. As soon as you use the 11-word phrase “please cease and desist all calls and contact with me immediately” to stop the harassment, call us for a free consultation about what you can do to resolve your debt problems for good.

File a Complaint With the FTC and the CFPB

If the debt collector continues to harass you, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by reporting the company online. You should also file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Regardless of how they're contacting you, you have the right to tell a debt collector to stop. This request must be made to the debt collector in writing. The CFPB offers sample letters for asking a debt collector to stop contacting you.

Debt collectors cannot harass or abuse you. They cannot swear, threaten to illegally harm you or your property, threaten you with illegal actions, or falsely threaten you with actions they do not intend to take. They also cannot make repeated calls over a short period to annoy or harass you.

Debt collectors lose the right in many states to sue consumers after three or more years. But there's a loophole: If the consumer makes a payment, even against his or her own will, that can be used to try to revive the life of the debt.

Don't provide personal or sensitive financial information

Never give out or confirm personal or sensitive financial information – such as your bank account, credit card, or full Social Security number – unless you know the company or person you are talking with is a real debt collector.

It is not uncommon today for people to be pursued by debt collectors for money they don't owe. This occurs for several reasons: the original creditor may have made an accounting error, you may be a victim of identity theft, or the creditor may have found the wrong person with a similar name.

How do you scare debt collectors? ›

You can sue the debt collector for violating the FDCPA. If you sue under the FDCPA and win, the debt collector must generally pay your attorney's fees and might also have to pay you damages. If you're having trouble with debt collection, you can submit a complaint with the CFPB.

Under this rule, a debt collector is presumed to violate federal law if it places telephone calls to a particular person in connection with the collection of a particular debt in either of the following circ*mstances. The collector calls more than seven times within seven consecutive days.

Write to the Collector to Request it Stop Contacting You (If That's What You Want) Under the federal FDCPA, if you request that a debt collector stop contacting you completely, it must do so, subject to a few exceptions. Your request must be in writing.

Normally, collections are disputed because the debtor believes they are incorrect for some reason. For example, if you review a copy of your credit report and you see a collection account that you believe belongs to another person, has an incorrect balance or is greater than seven years old, you can file a dispute.

Importantly, people can sue debt collectors who break the law by lying or providing wrong information. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the administrator and a primary enforcer of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Don't provide personal or sensitive financial information

Never give out or confirm personal or sensitive financial information – such as your bank account, credit card, or full Social Security number – unless you know the company or person you are talking with is a real debt collector.

What happens if you don't respond to a debt collector? ›

Not responding to a properly served lawsuit – even if you're unsure whether you owe the debt – can result in the court issuing a judgment against you, which could limit your ability to dispute the debt, even if it's already been paid or you don't owe it.