FDCPA Violations

Is a Collector Breaking the Law?

These are the most common FDCPA violations. Each one may entitle you to $1,000 in statutory damages plus attorney's fees — which the collector pays, not you.

What You Can Recover Per Lawsuit

$1,000

Statutory damages per violation

$500K

Max class action recovery

Free

Your attorney fees paid by collector

1Harassment & Abusive LanguageProfanity, yelling, threats of violence, calling repeatedly to harass. Calling before 8am or after 9pm without consent.
2False or Misleading RepresentationsClaiming to be an attorney or government agent, misrepresenting the debt amount, falsely threatening criminal charges, adding unauthorized fees.
3Failure to Validate the DebtNot sending a written validation notice within 5 days of first contact, or continuing to collect after you dispute in writing without providing verification.
4Contacting Third Parties ImproperlyTelling family, friends, neighbors, or employers about your debt. Collectors can contact others only to locate you — and cannot reveal the purpose.
5Ignoring a Cease & DesistContinuing contact after a written cease and desist. Only one final contact is permitted — to confirm stopping or disclose a specific intended action.
6Threatening Lawsuits They Won't FileThreatening to sue when they have no intention of doing so, or when the debt is clearly time-barred. One of the most litigated violations.
7Attempting to Collect Time-Barred DebtSuing or threatening to sue on debt past your state's statute of limitations. Some states require explicit disclosure that the debt is time-barred.
8Unfair Collection PracticesThreatening wage garnishment without a court order, depositing a post-dated check early, collecting unauthorized fees, communicating by postcard.
9Failure to Identify as a Debt CollectorEvery communication must disclose it is an attempt to collect a debt and that information obtained will be used for that purpose.
10Re-Aging a DebtReporting an old debt as newer to extend the 7-year reporting window. The original date of first delinquency never changes — re-aging is illegal under both FDCPA and FCRA.

What To Do If This Happened to You

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Document Everything

Log every call: date, time, what was said, caller ID. Save all voicemails and written communications.

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Send a Validation Letter

Use our template. Send via certified mail, return receipt requested. Keep the green card — it's legal evidence.

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File a CFPB Complaint

ConsumerFinance.gov/complaint. The CFPB forwards complaints to collectors and requires a formal response.

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Consult a Consumer Attorney

FDCPA cases are contingency — you pay nothing upfront. The collector pays your attorney's fees if they violated the law.