ABA Family Legal Guide

Consumer Credit

Debt, Debt Collection, and Credit Repair

Debt Collection and the Law

How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?

By notifying a debt collector by mail not to contact you. After that, the attempts at contact must stop. There are two exceptions to this. The debt collector may tell you that there will be no more contact, and that some specific legal or other action may be or will be taken. However, debt collectors may state this only if they actually plan to take such action.

Debt collectors must also stop trying to contact you if you notify them, by mail within thirty days after they first contact you, that you dispute all or part of the debt or that you are requesting the name and address of the original creditor. However, debt collectors are permitted to begin collection activities again if they send you proof of the debt, such as a copy of the bill, or the information you requested about the original creditor.