If you’re behind in paying your bills, or a creditor’s records mistakenly make it appear that you are, a debt collector may be contacting you.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from you.

Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them.

Here are some questions and answers about your rights under the Act.

What types of debts are covered?
The Act covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage. The FDCPA doesn’t cover debts you incurred to run a business.

Can a debt collector contact me any time or any place?
No. A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they’re told (orally or in writing) that you’re not allowed to get calls there.

How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
If a collector contacts you about a debt, you may want to talk to them at least once to see if you can resolve the matter – even if you don’t think you owe the debt, can’t repay it immediately, or think that the collector is contacting you by mistake. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don’t want the collector to contact you again, tell the collector – in writing – to stop contacting you. Here’s how to do that:

Make a copy of your letter. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a “return receipt” so you’ll be able to document what the collector received. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again, with two exceptions: a collector can contact you to tell you there will be no further contact or to let you know that they or the creditor intend to take a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Sending such a letter to a debt collector you owe money to does not get rid of the debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.

What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?

Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don’t think I owe any money?

What practices are off limits for debt collectors?

• Use threats of violence or harm.
• Publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies).
• Use obscene or profane language.
• Repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.

False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:

• Falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives.
• Falsely claim that you have committed a crime.
• Falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company.
• Misrepresent the amount you owe.
• Indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren’t.
• Indicate that papers they send to you aren’t legal forms if they are.

Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:

• You will be arrested if you don’t pay your debt.
• They’ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so.
• Legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don’t intend to take the action.

Debt collectors may not:

What should I do if a debt collector sues me?

Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?