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Last reviewed: 3 October 2026

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Debt collection: where to start when a collector contacts you

Start by finding out who is contacting you and asking for the validation information. A collector must generally give it to you in its first contact or within five days.[1] If you do not recognize the debt, you can dispute it in writing within 30 days of getting that information.[2] This hub starts with those first steps, then points to every collection guide on this site, grouped by the question you are likely to have.

First steps, as the CFPB and FTC describe them

  1. Find out who is contacting you. The company may be the original creditor, a collection agency or a debt buyer. See original creditor, debt buyer or collection agency.
  2. Look for the validation information. The CFPB says it includes the name of the creditor, the amount you owe and how to dispute the debt. If a collector does not or cannot provide it, the CFPB says it could be a scam.[1]
  3. Dispute in writing if you do not recognize the debt. The FTC says to send the dispute letter within 30 days of getting the validation information, and that the collector must then stop collecting until it sends written verification. If you do not dispute within 30 days, the FTC says the collector will assume the debt is legitimate.[2]
  4. Be careful what you share. The CFPB says not to give sensitive financial information to the caller until you have confirmed they are legitimate.[1]
  5. Know the limits on contact. The FTC lists these: no contact before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. unless you agree; no calls at work if you tell the collector you are not allowed to get them; no more than seven calls within seven days, or within seven days after you talk with the collector by phone, about a particular debt.[2]
  6. You can ask the collector to stop. The FTC says to mail a letter and keep a copy, consider certified mail with a return receipt, and that afterward the collector can contact you only to confirm it will stop or to say it plans a specific action, such as filing a lawsuit.[2] The CFPB notes that asking a collector to stop contacting you will not necessarily stop it from suing you or from reporting the debt to a credit reporting company.[3]
  7. Do not ignore a lawsuit. The FTC says to respond by the date in the court papers, personally or through an attorney.[2] See sued for a debt.
  8. Report a violation. The FTC says you can report problems to your state attorney general, the FTC and the CFPB, and that you may sue a collector within one year of when it broke the law.[2] See where to file a complaint.

This is general information, not legal advice. The sources describe the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Many states add their own rules.[2]

Who is collecting, and what they must tell you

Original creditor, debt buyer or collection agencyThe three roles, why the label matters, and how to find out which one you are dealing with.Debt validation letters and your FDCPA rightsThe 30-day window, what a validation notice contains and what verification means.Fake debt collector scamsHow to tell a real collector from an impersonator.State debt collection laws that reach further than the FDCPAState rules that can cover original creditors.If you stop paying a credit cardWhat the FTC and CFPB say happens, in order, from a missed payment to charge-off, collectors and a lawsuit.

What collectors may and may not do

Debt collector call and text limitsThe call-frequency rule, texts and the opt-out.Can a debt collector contact your employer or family?Who a collector may talk to about your debt.The TCPA and debt-relief robocallsThe written-consent rule behind unsolicited calls and texts.Where a debt collector can sue youThe FDCPA venue rule.

Old debts, credit reports and settling

How long negative items stay on your credit reportFederal reporting limits by item type, with a worksheet.Statute of limitations vs. the FCRA reporting periodTwo clocks that run on different dates.Debt re-aging, explainedWhy the reporting clock runs from one fixed date.Debt parking, explainedA debt that appears on your report before you hear from the collector.Charge-off vs. collection accountWhat each is and how they relate.Pay-for-delete letters, explainedWhat the law does and does not say about the request.When a deleted item comes backThe FCRA reinsertion rule.Canceled debt, Form 1099-C and taxesWhen settled or forgiven debt can be taxable.

Lawsuits, judgments and what a collector can reach

Sued for a debt: what happensFrom summons to judgment and garnishment.Judgment-proof status and exemptionsWhat a creditor can and cannot reach.Are benefits protected from collectors?Social Security, SSI and VA benefits.Wage garnishment and gig workWhy the federal cap works differently without an employer.Judgments and tax liens on credit reportsWhat the bureaus do in practice.Forced arbitration clausesHow a clause can route a dispute out of court.Can a creditor freeze your bank account?When a creditor can freeze or garnish money in a bank account, what federal and state law protect, and what to do if funds are frozen.

Special situations

Whose debt is it after you die?What survivors owe.Divorce and debtWho a creditor can still collect from.The Servicemembers Civil Relief ActDebt protections for servicemembers.The Military Lending ActLimits on the terms of credit offered to servicemembers.Medical, auto and other consumer debtThe hub for debts that follow their own rules.

Where to complain and how to check a company

Where to file a credit, debt or scam complaintWhich agency takes which problem.The CFPB Consumer Complaint DatabaseHow to read it, and what a complaint is not.How to check a credit or debt companyFree public checks, organized by our Standard.Free legal help for debt problemsPrograms USAGov and the CFPB name for free or low-cost legal help, and how to check and prepare for a lawyer.

How to verify this yourself

  1. Read the CFPB's debt collection page[4] and its answer on what to do when a collector contacts you.[1]
  2. Read the FTC's Debt Collection FAQs.[2]
  3. Check your state attorney general's site for state collection rules. The FTC says many states have debt collection laws different from the federal ones.[2]

What this hub does not cover

It does not say whether any debt is yours, whether a collector broke the law, or what you should do about a particular debt. It does not cover Canada; see how debt collection is regulated in Canada. Our Standard applies to credit repair and debt settlement companies. It does not grade debt collectors, and the Register does not list them.

Your next step

If a collector has contacted you, write down the date and the name of the company, then look for the validation information. The 30-day dispute window runs from receiving it.

When we will update this page

We revisit it when we add a collection guide or when the CFPB or FTC changes these pages. Sources last read 2 October 2026.

What you can do next

References

  1. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, "What should I do when a debt collector contacts me?", consumerfinance.gov (page last reviewed 2 August 2023), read 2 October 2026.
  2. Federal Trade Commission, "Debt Collection FAQs," Consumer Advice (March 2023), consumer.ftc.gov, read 2 October 2026.
  3. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, "What is a debt collector and why are they contacting me?", consumerfinance.gov (page last reviewed 2 August 2023), read 2 October 2026.
  4. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, "Debt collection", consumerfinance.gov (page last modified 25 September 2026), read 2 October 2026.

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