Your Rights When a Debt Collector Calls (and the Validation Notice)
A collection call can be scary, especially if you don't recognize the debt. Federal law gives you a 30-day window to push back, sets limits on when and how collectors can reach you, and lets you tell them to stop. Here's how those rules work and what to do on the first call.
AT A GLANCE
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Who counts as a debt collector
Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is generally a person or company that regularly collects debts owed to someone else. That includes collection agencies, law firms that collect debts as part of their business, and debt buyers that purchase old accounts from the original lender and then try to collect.
The original creditor collecting its own account, like your credit card company calling about a late payment, generally isn't a "debt collector" under this law. Most of the rules below apply once the account goes to a third-party collector or buyer.
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The validation notice: what it has to tell you
The collector must give you "validation information." It can do that in the first communication, or by sending a written or electronic validation notice within five days after that first contact. The CFPB's model form (Model Form B-1) is what most collectors use, so many notices look alike.
Under 12 CFR 1006.34, the notice has to include:
Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
A statement that it's from a debt collector | Tells you this is a collection, not a bill from your lender |
The collector's name and the mailing address for disputes | Where to send your written dispute |
The creditor on the "itemization date," and the creditor now | Shows who the account has passed through |
Account number, which may be shortened | Lets you match it against your own records |
The amount on the itemization date | A starting point you can check |
An itemization of interest, fees, payments and credits since then | Shows how they got to today's number |
The current amount | What they say you owe now |
The end date of your validation period | Your deadline to dispute in writing |
A tear-off response section | Check boxes for "This is not my debt," "The amount is wrong," "Other," and a request for the original creditor |
The itemization date has to be one of five reference points: the last statement date, the charge-off date, the last payment date, the transaction date, or a court judgment date.
If a caller won't give you this information, the CFPB says that could be a sign of a scam. A real collector has to tell you the creditor's name, the amount and how to dispute.
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Using your 30-day dispute window
The validation period begins when the collector gives you the information. It ends 30 days after you receive it. The collector may assume you received it five business days after sending it, not counting weekends or federal holidays. The exact end date has to be printed on the notice, so use that date.
During those 30 days, you can do either or both of these in writing:
Dispute the debt or part of it. The collector must stop collecting the disputed amount until it mails you verification of the debt or a copy of a court judgment.
Ask for the original creditor's name and address. The collector must stop collecting until it sends you that information, or tells you the original and current creditor are the same.
A few rules protect you during the window:
The collector can't do anything that overshadows or contradicts your right to dispute, such as pressuring you to pay right away in a way that buries the deadline.
Not disputing isn't a legal admission that you owe the money (12 CFR 1006.38(d)(1)).
If the collector reports the debt to a credit bureau, it can't knowingly report false information. It also has to report that a disputed debt is disputed (12 CFR 1006.18(c)(2)).
If you don't dispute within the window, the collector can treat the debt as valid. Writing to them is what pauses collection, so put your dispute on paper or use the electronic method the notice gives you.
What to write
Keep it short. Use the response section on the notice, or write a letter that includes:
Your name and the mailing address the collector has for you
The account or reference number from the notice
Which box applies: not my debt, wrong amount, or other, with a one-line explanation
A request for the original creditor's name and address, if you want it
The date, and a copy for your records
Send it by a method you can prove, such as certified mail with a return receipt. If the notice explains how to dispute electronically, save a screenshot or confirmation of what you sent.
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Limits on calls, texts and emails
The rule spells out when contact crosses the line:
Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
Inconvenient times | Unless they know otherwise, calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your local time are off-limits |
Inconvenient places | They can't contact you at a place they know is inconvenient |
Your workplace | No contact at work if they know or have reason to know your employer doesn't allow it |
You have a lawyer | Once they know your lawyer's name and address for the debt, they must deal with the lawyer |
Call frequency | More than seven calls in seven days, or another call within seven days after a phone conversation, is presumed harassment |
Electronic messages | Every email or text must offer a simple, free way to opt out |
Your preferred method | If you ask them not to use a certain method, like texting, they have to stop using it |
Collectors also can't use threats of violence, obscene language, or publish lists of people who "won't pay." Callers must say who they are.
Collectors can't lie, either. A collector can't pretend to be a lawyer or a government agency. It can't misstate the amount or legal status of the debt. It can't threaten arrest, jail, or taking your wages or property unless that action is legal and they actually plan to do it. It can't send papers that look like court documents when they aren't.
Who they can talk to about your debt
In general, a collector can discuss the debt only with you, your lawyer, the creditor, the lawyers involved, or a credit bureau where the law allows. Your spouse counts as "you" under the rule, and so does a parent if you're a minor. Collectors may contact other people only for limited reasons, such as getting your location information, or with your direct consent or a court's permission.
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How to make them stop
If you want the contact to end, tell the collector in writing that you want them to stop communicating with you, or that you refuse to pay. After that, they can only contact you to:
Say they're ending their collection efforts
Tell you they may use a specific remedy they normally use
Tell you they intend to use a specific remedy, such as filing a lawsuit
A stop letter doesn't erase the debt. The collector or creditor can still sue if the debt is valid and not too old. The CFPB notes that most state statutes of limitations for filing a debt lawsuit are three to six years, though they vary by state and type of debt. If you're sued, respond by the court's deadline. If you don't, the court can enter a judgment against you, which can lead to garnishment.
The rule also limits where they can sue: where you signed the contract, or where you live when the case is filed. A case to enforce a lien on real estate has to be filed where the property is.
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First-call checklist
☐ Write down the caller's name, the company name and a callback number
☐ Ask for the creditor's name and the amount, and say you'll respond in writing
☐ Don't confirm bank account numbers or make a payment until you've seen the notice
☐ When the notice arrives, circle the validation end date
☐ Compare the account number and amounts with your old statements
☐ Send your dispute or original-creditor request before that date and keep proof
☐ Keep a log of every call: date, time and what was said
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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If the collector breaks the rules
You can file a complaint with the CFPB online. It sends complaints to the company, gives you a tracking number, and says most companies respond within 15 days. Attach your notice, your letters and your call log, up to 50 pages. You can also reach the CFPB at (855) 411-2372 (TTY/TDD (855) 729-2372).
For lawsuits, garnishment or a debt you're sure isn't yours, talk to a lawyer. Your local legal aid office may help for free if you qualify.
More help
Related guides
Official sources
Last checked: October 30, 2026. Rules come from 12 CFR 1006.6, 1006.14, 1006.18, 1006.30, 1006.34 and 1006.38. Plain-language explanations and complaint details come from CFPB consumer pages.
This is general information, not legal advice. State laws may add more protections, so check with legal aid if you're facing a lawsuit.
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