Debt collector harassment: count the calls, then act
A debt collector keeps calling you, calls you at work, threatens you, or calls your family. Debt collector harassment is against federal law, and a court can award you up to $1,000 plus your lawyer's fees. Keep a call log, then call us to talk with a consumer lawyer about the calls.
Can a consumer lawyer help with these calls?
A collector in your state calls you too often, too late, or at your job or your family's home. A collector calling more than seven times within a seven-day period about one debt is presumed to break the law. Call our debt help line with your call log, and you decide whether a consumer lawyer hears about the calls.
Talk to a consumer lawyer about this debt
Call (844) 393-5856- You call during business hours and say which debt it is.
- You answer a few questions about the debt and any court date.
- You decide whether a consumer lawyer sees your details.
Calls go to our debt help line during business hours. The call costs you nothing, and you give up nothing by calling. Debt Collector Lookup matches people with consumer lawyers; we are not a law firm or a debt collector.
Send your call log
You have a record of calls, texts, or threats from a collector and want a lawyer to look at it. If a court finds a violation, it can award you up to $1,000, plus attorney's fees and court costs. Send the form with the collector's name and your call log, and decide later whether a consumer lawyer sees it.
Sending this costs nothing and commits you to nothing. We keep your answers with the collector's name, and you decide whether a consumer lawyer sees them. Debt Collector Lookup is not a law firm or a debt collector. The form does not schedule a call; to talk, call our debt help line during business hours.
Seven calls in seven days
Calls about one debt.
So more than seven calls about one debt in seven days is presumed to break the law.
Count the calls in your phone's log for any seven days in a row.
8 a.m. / 9 p.m.
Earliest and latest call times.
So a call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time is off limits unless you agreed to it.
Write down the exact time of each call, with the number that called.
$1,000
Award without proof of loss.
So you can win money even if you cannot show the calls cost you anything.
Keep your notes, screenshots, and letters in one place before you call.
What can't a debt collector do?
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act bans these acts outright:
- Repeated calls, texts, emails or messages meant to annoy or abuse you.
- Threats of violence, or obscene and profane words.
- Calls where they do not give their name.
- False threats to have you arrested, or lies about the amount.
- Pretending to be a lawyer when they are not.
Time rules apply too. Collectors cannot call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time. More than seven calls in seven days about one debt is presumed to break the law.
Can they text me or call my work or family?
Texts and emails are allowed, but they count toward harassment, and you can tell them to stop. Collectors may not post about your debt on social media.
At work, they may ask your employer for your address or phone number. Once they know your job does not allow the calls, they must stop calling there.
Contact with other people has to be about finding you. Your spouse and your lawyer are different. Keep the messages so the details are on record.
What should I write down?
Your notes are the evidence. Start a page today and add to it every time they reach you.
- The date, the time, the number that called and the name the caller gave.
- What they said, in their words, written down that same day.
- Screenshots of texts and your phone's call log.
- Copies of every letter, and the envelopes with the postmarks.
What can a court award?
You can sue a collector in state or federal court. If you cannot show money lost, the judge can still award up to $1,000, plus attorney's fees and court costs. Lost wages and medical bills can be added on top.
You have to file within one year of when the collector broke the law. For example, if the calls broke the rules on March 3, 2026, the last day to file is March 3, 2027. So start your log now. A win does not cancel the debt itself.
Who pays my lawyer?
Bring your call log and letters when you talk to a consumer lawyer. If you win, the collector can be ordered to pay your lawyer's fees.
You can also file a complaint with the CFPB, which sends it to the company for an answer.
What changed in New York City in 2026?
New York City's SHIELD rule took effect September 1, 2026. It limits collectors to three attempts within seven days, and people can dispute a debt at any point. Read the official notice.
Questions people ask
What counts as harassment from a debt collector?
Repeated calls or texts meant to annoy you, threats of harm, profane language, and calls that hide who is calling. More than seven calls in seven days about one debt is presumed to break the law.
Can debt collectors text you?
Yes, they can text or email you privately, but the messages cannot be meant to harass you. They cannot post about your debt on social media where others can see it.
Can a debt collector call my work?
They can call to find out where you work. Once they know your job does not allow the calls, they must stop. Tell them, then put it in writing.
Can a debt collector contact my family?
Only to find your address, phone number or job, and usually only once. They cannot tell your family that you owe a debt. Your spouse is the exception.
How do I stop a debt collector from calling?
Mail a letter asking them to stop contacting you, and keep a copy. After that they can only write to confirm or to tell you about a lawsuit.
Sources
- CFPB: what counts as harassment (consumerfinance.gov).
- CFPB: when a collector can call (consumerfinance.gov).
- CFPB: what laws limit debt collectors (consumerfinance.gov).
- CFPB: who a collector can tell (consumerfinance.gov).
- FTC: debt collection FAQs (consumer.ftc.gov).
- CFPB: file a complaint (consumerfinance.gov).
- NYC Consumer and Worker Protection: the SHIELD rule (nyc.gov).
Last checked October 2026.
What to do now
Your call log is the proof, and you have one year from the call that broke the rules to sue. A consumer lawyer in your state can tell you whether your log shows a case. Call our debt help line with the log in front of you. The call costs nothing, and you can stop at any point.
Talk to a consumer lawyer about this debt
Call (844) 393-5856- You call during business hours and say which debt it is.
- You answer a few questions about the debt and any court date.
- You decide whether a consumer lawyer sees your details.
Calls go to our debt help line during business hours. The call costs you nothing, and you give up nothing by calling. Debt Collector Lookup matches people with consumer lawyers; we are not a law firm or a debt collector.