Tell them to STOP in writing. Here is a link to a sample letter from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The text of the sample letter also appears below. Tell them they are violating the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 1692-1692p). They must stop contacting you once you tell them to stop. If they continue, they are breaking the law. Be sure to make a copy of the letter so you have proof.
You can report them and you might be able to take legal action against them by filing a case with the help of an attorney.
To report a debt collector, use the following links:
If the debt collector is calling you about a payday loan, auto title loan, signature loan or a car loan debt, you can also complain to the Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner.
Sample Letter Language: Stop Contacting Me
(Also called a cease and desist letter, as referenced in the video.)This letter is based on a template provided by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
[Date]
[Debt collector name]
[Debt collector Address]
Re: [Account number for the debt, if you have it]Dear [Debt collector name],
I am responding to your contact about a debt you are attempting to collect. You contacted me by [phone/mail], on [date]. You identified the debt as [any information they gave you about the debt].
Please stop all communication with me and with this address about this debt.
[If you dispute the debt, include the following:] Record that I dispute having any obligation for this debt. If you forward or return this debt to another company, please indicate to them that it is disputed. If you report it to a credit bureau (or have already done so), also report that the debt is disputed.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]Click here for a Word version of the letter from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Other tips to stop a debt collector from contacting you
The information below is from resources provided by the Federal Trade Commission.
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. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don’t want the collector to contact you again, send a letter to the collector. Be sure to do the following:
1. Keep a copy of your letter.
2. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a “return receipt” so you’ll be able to document what the collector received.
3. 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.
Note: Sending a letter to a debt collector to stop contacting you does not erase a debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.