How do I tell if a debt collector is legitimate or a scam? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2024)

FAQs

How do I tell if a debt collector is legitimate or a scam? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? ›

You can tell if a debt collector is legitimate by requesting they provide their information, including their license number, so you can confirm it. You can also ask for a validation notice, which debt collectors are required by law to send to you.

You can tell if a debt collector is legitimate by requesting they provide their information, including their license number, so you can confirm it. You can also ask for a validation notice, which debt collectors are required by law to send to you.

The 7-in-7 rule explained

Collectors are permitted to place a call to the consumer about a particular debt seven (7) times within a period of seven (7) consecutive days, so long as no contact is made with the consumer in any of the attempts.

However, they can contact you privately on social media, unless you request that they not contact you that way. If the debt collector communicates with you using an email address, telephone text number or other electronic medium, they must offer you a reasonable and simple method for you to opt out.

Debt collectors don't want you to know that you can make them stop calling, they can't do most of what they tell you, payment deadlines are phony, threats are inflated, and they can't find out how much you have in the bank. Furthermore, if you're out of state, they may have no legal recourse to collect.

How to Request Debt Verification. To request verification, send a letter to the collection agency stating that you dispute the validity of the debt and that you want documentation verifying the debt. Also, request the name and address of the original creditor.

But what must the creditor provide by way of documentation? At a minimum, it must produce: A copy of the original written agreement between the parties, such as the loan note or credit card agreement, preferably signed by you.

A debt validation letter should include the name of your creditor and how much you owe, The letter will include information about when you need to pay the debt and how to dispute it.

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 are not permitted to try to publicly shame you into paying money that you may or may not owe. In fact, they're not even allowed to contact you by postcard. They cannot publish the names of people who owe money. They can't even discuss the matter with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.

What not to tell a debt collector? ›

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.

One of the ways in which debt collectors will try and deceive those who they believe owe them debts is by using false caller ID information. If this has happened to you, you may have a valid lawsuit against the debt collector in question, which you may bring under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

If you have a debt that gets sent to collections, you may be confused about who you owe. To find out which collection agency you owe, you can contact the original creditor or check your credit report. If a collection agency has been in contact with you, ask them to verify the debt.