Your rights with debt collectors
Short, plain-English guides to the situations people search for most. Start with the one that matches yours.
Sued by a debt collector? What to do before the deadline
Got court papers from a debt collector? How to check the deadline, file an answer, use the common defenses, and protect your wages and bank account.
What debt collectors can and can’t do
Call times, the 7-in-7 call limit, contacting your family or boss, threats and lies: the federal rules debt collectors have to follow, in plain English.
Debt validation: how it works and what counts as proof
What a collector’s validation notice must include, how the 30-day dispute window works, and what a collector has to send back when you dispute.
Collections on your credit report
How long collections stay on your credit report, how to dispute errors, whether pay for delete works, and how paying a collection affects your score.
Old and “zombie” debt
What happens when a debt is past the statute of limitations, how a payment can restart the clock, and what to do if you are sued on an old debt.
Fake debt collectors: how to spot a scam
The warning signs of a fake debt collector, how to check if a collector is real, and what to do if you already paid a scammer.