Know your rights: You can ask debt collectors to stop or limit contact

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Know your rights: You can ask debt collectors to stop or limit contact

Know your rights: You can ask debt collectors to stop or limit contact

A person holding up a hand to a phone, indicating they don't want to take a call

You have the right to control how and when a debt collector contacts you. This is based on a law called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

You can ask them to stop contacting you or to contact you only in certain ways.

  • You must send a written request.
  • By law, the debt collector must follow your request.

Asking for limited contact can give you space to understand your options and take next steps at your own pace.

You can use the Debt Collector Letter Easy Form to create your letter.

📌 This request does not erase the debt. The debt collector can still:

  • Report the debt to credit bureaus, and
  • Take legal steps to collect the debt, including filing a lawsuit.
Last revised by staff
March 11, 2025