Key Takeaways

• A collector is presumed to be harassing you if it calls more than seven times in seven days about one debt.
• No calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time.
• A written request to stop contact must be honored, with narrow exceptions.
• Texts and emails must include a way to opt out.
• Keep a call log. Your phone’s history and screenshots are evidence.

What Call Limits Apply?

• Frequency. Under Regulation F, more than seven calls within seven days about a particular debt, or a call within seven days after you have had a phone conversation about it, is presumed to be harassment.
• Time of day. No calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your time zone.
• Place. No calls at work if the collector knows your employer does not allow them. Telling the collector gives it that knowledge.
• Identity. The caller must say who is calling. Calling without saying who is calling can break the law.

How Do You Make the Calls Stop?

1. Write a short letter or email to the collector saying you want it to stop contacting you about the debt. Keep a copy and proof you sent it.
2. If you dispute the debt, say so in the same letter and ask for verification. Do this within 30 days of the validation notice if you can.
3. If you have a lawyer, tell the collector to contact the lawyer instead. It must then stop contacting you directly.
4. Use the opt-out in any text or email. Reply STOP to texts.
5. Write down every call that comes after your request.

Telling a collector to stop does not erase the debt. It may still sue you. But calls after a stop request are themselves a violation.

What Counts as Harassment?

• Calling over and over in one day or day after day.
• Threats of violence, arrest or jail.
• Obscene or insulting language.
• Telling your family, friends, neighbors or employer about your debt.
• Posting about your debt on social media where others can see it.
• Calling a family member’s phone again and again looking for you.

What About Robocalls and Texts to a Cell Phone?

Separate federal rules limit autodialed and prerecorded calls and texts to cell phones. If a collector is robocalling or texting a number you never gave it, or a wrong number, tell us. Those calls can raise claims beyond the FDCPA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a debt collector text me?

Yes, but the text must identify the collector and give you a simple way to opt out. Once you opt out, further texts can break the law.

Does a stop letter make the debt go away?

No. It stops the calls. The collector can still use other lawful steps, such as filing a lawsuit.

Can I sue for too many calls?

Yes, if the calls were meant to annoy, abuse or harass you. The call count, the times and what was said all matter. Keep your call history.

The collector keeps calling my mother looking for me. Is that legal?

A collector may contact someone else to find out where you live or work, generally only once, and may not say you owe a debt. Repeated calls to family members can be a violation.

Email Us About a Debt Collector

Email msiddons@siddonslaw.com with the name of the collector, what happened and when, and the state you live in. The first conversation is free. All fees and costs are set out in a written engagement letter. Attorney Michael A. Siddons represents consumers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Washington, D.C., and the firm has handled hundreds of Fair Debt Collection Practices Act cases.