Debt collectors: your rights

Updated November 8, 2026

The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the CFPB's Regulation F set rules for debt collectors: the companies and law firms that collect debts for others, or that buy old debts.

What collectors can't do

• Call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time, or at work if they know your employer doesn't allow it.
• Call about one debt more than 7 times in 7 days.
• Threaten, harass or use abusive language.
• Lie about what you owe, or threaten arrest or actions they can't legally take.
• Tell your family, friends or employer about your debt (they may contact others only to find you).

Check the debt first

A collector must send you a validation notice with the amount, the creditor and how to dispute it. You have 30 days from receiving it to dispute in writing. Until the collector responds, it must stop collecting the disputed amount.

Stopping the contact

You can tell a collector in writing to stop contacting you, or to contact you only in certain ways. They may still contact you to confirm they'll stop, or to say they're taking a specific step such as filing a lawsuit.

Old debts

Every state limits how long a creditor can sue over a debt, usually 3 to 6 years. Collectors may not sue, or threaten to sue, over a debt that's past that limit. In some states, making even a small payment can restart the clock, so check before you pay on a very old debt.

If a collector breaks the rules

You can report it to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and your state attorney general, and you may be able to sue for damages.

If the debts themselves are the problem, see debt relief options compared.