Find out who is collecting, write back, talk to a consumer lawyer.

Who is this debt collector?

You got a debt collection letter or call. Within five days, a real collector must send a written notice showing the end date of your 30 days to dispute. Type the name below to check who it is and write back.

Name on the letter or caller ID

Look up

Only have a number? Look up a phone number.Have the letter? Paste it to read it.

Is this collector real or a scam?

A real collector tells you its name, street address, and phone number. It also tells you about the debt in writing. A scammer avoids those details and pushes you to pay today.

Fake callers copy the names of real companies. So the name alone proves nothing. Hang up and call back on a number from the company's own website.

Our phone number lookup lists each tracked collector's published numbers. A threat to arrest you is a sign of fraud or unlawful collection.

Check a caller against our phone number lookup, or read the FTC warning on fake collectors.

Who are they collecting for?

Most collection letters name two companies. One is the collector writing to you. The other is the original creditor, the bank, hospital, or phone company you first owed.

Some collectors are debt buyers. They bought your account and now collect it as the owner. Other collectors are agencies that keep a cut of what they get.

Some collectors are law firms that sue people over debts. Each company page tells you which kind it is.

Do you really owe it?

The debt is not always yours. Collectors buy accounts in big batches, and the amount or the name can be wrong. The law lets you check before you pay anything.

A collector must send you a validation notice. It lists the debt details and the end date of your 30-day dispute period. Find that date first.

Send a written dispute before the end date. Then the collector must stop collecting the part you dispute until it mails you proof. Our validation letter tool helps you write that letter.

The five days and the 30 days come from the CFPB. The $1,000 comes from the FTC.

What can't a debt collector do?

A collector cannot call you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time unless you agree. More than seven calls in seven days about one debt is presumed unlawful.

A collector cannot threaten you or lie about what you owe. It cannot tell your boss, family, or neighbors about your debt. It can talk with your spouse or your lawyer.

If you prove a collector broke these rules, a court can award up to $1,000 in extra damages. The money is not automatic. Log the calls with our call log checklist.

The call hours and the seven calls rule are in the CFPB call rules.

What do I do in the next 30 days?

1. Day 1: Write down the collector's name, the number that called, and the date.
2. Before the end date on the notice: Mail your dispute letter by certified mail and keep the receipt.
3. Same week: Look up the time limit to sue on a debt in your state.
4. If court papers come: File your answer by the date on the papers. Read what to do if you are sued, or call our debt help line during business hours before your answer date.

Got court papers in your state? Call before your answer date. Call (844) 393-5856

Example: Odell gets a notice naming Midland and a bank he knows. Knowing the bank does not prove the amount is right. He finds the end date on the notice and mails his dispute letter before that date. He keeps the certified mail receipt as proof.

Which collectors can I look up?

The counts in this table are federal complaints filed since October 2023. They come from the Consumer Complaint Database. A complaint is not a ruling that the company broke the law. Some totals cover a parent company, so do not add related rows together.

The counts come from the CFPB complaint database.

Which letter or tool do you need?

• Write a validation letterFill it in, print it, and count the days to your end date.
• Answer a lawsuitFind your answer date and what to file.
• Stop the callsLog the calls and see what the law bans.
• Check the time limitYears to sue, by state and kind of debt.
• Price a settlementSee what an offer costs before you send it.
• Ask for deletionBuild a pay for delete letter.

Sources

• CFPB: what the notice must show (consumerfinance.gov).
• CFPB: what counts as harassment (consumerfinance.gov).
• CFPB: when a collector can call (consumerfinance.gov).
• FTC: fake and abusive collectors (consumer.ftc.gov).
• FTC: debt collection FAQs (consumer.ftc.gov).
• CFPB: complaint database (consumerfinance.gov).
• CFPB: model validation notice (consumerfinance.gov).
• NYC Consumer and Worker Protection: the SHIELD rule (nyc.gov).

Last checked October 2026.