ABA Family Legal Guide

Consumer Credit

Debt, Debt Collection, and Credit Repair

Debt Collection and the Law

How may a debt collector contact me?

Under the FDCPA, a debt collector may contact you by mail, in person, or by telephone or telegram during convenient hours. Unless you agree in writing (or a court specifically grants permission), a collector may not contact you at inconvenient or unusual times or places. Examples of poorly chosen times are before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. Also, a debt collector is not permitted to contact you at work if the collector knows or has reason to know that your employer forbids employees from being contacted by collectors at the workplace. You can tell the debt collector what times and places are inconvenient for you to receive calls.

Also, a debt collector is forbidden from contacting you if he or she knows that you are represented by a lawyer.