[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-279897-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-279897-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","fair-debt-collection-act-consumer-rights-and-how-to-respond","Fair Debt Collection Act - Consumer Rights and How to Respond","","Fair Debt Collection Act guidance explains how the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and California’s Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act protect consumers from abusive, unfair, or deceptive debt collection. It outlines when and how collectors may contact consumers, limits communications with third parties, and details prohibited conduct such as harassment, false statements, and unauthorized fees. 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After the request, the collector must stop communicating except to acknowledge the termination or provide legal remedy information, and the sample letter instructs them to cease all telephone calls immediately.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},279897,1789529543,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,99,104,109,114,118,123],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":95,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":100,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":105,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":110,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":115,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},18,30,"letters",{"id":119,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":126},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":128},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":129,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":22,"category_id":115,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":33,"language":136,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":26},2336475104957,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/22000c4c6bd8a5076e1?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1787554080175789136","SACRAMENTO COUNTY PUBLIC LAW LIBRARY  \n609 9th St Sacramento, [CA 95814 | 916-874-6012 | saclaw.org](CA 95814 | 916-874-6012 | saclaw.org)  \nFair Debt Collection Act  \nLee en español: Prácticas Justas de Cobranza ([https://saclaw.org/resource_library/practicas-justas-de-cobranza/](https://saclaw.org/resource_library/practicas-justas-de-cobranza/))  \nThe Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 1692-1692p) and California’s Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (Civil Code §§ 1788 et seq.) protect consumers from abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices by debt collection agencies. These laws only apply to debt collection agencies, not to original creditors.  \nContacting You About the Debt  \nA collector’s communications with you:  \n Must be at a convenient time, generally considered between 8:00 a. m. and 9:00 p. m. , unless you agree to other times.  \n Must go through your attorney, if the collector knows you are represented.  \n Must not be at work, if your employer prohibits these types of calls.  \n Must not be harassing or abusive, such as making threats, using profane language, or contacting you repeatedly.  \n Must not include false or misleading statements, such as claiming to be a law enforcement agent or attorney, falsely stating the amount you owe, claiming you’ll go to jail if you don’t pay the debt, or misrepresenting your legal rights.  \n Must not engage in any unfair practices such as adding unauthorized interest or fees, or depositing postdated checks too early.  \n Must stop, if you send a letter asking the collection agency to cease and desist calling you. See below for more information.  \nContact with Third Parties  \nCollectors may only communicate about the debt with your attorney, a credit reporting agency, your spouse and your co-debtors. They may contact third parties to try to locate you. They cannot indicate that they are attempting to collect a debt. They are generally prohibited from  \nPage 1  \nFair Debt Collection Act  \nSACRAMENTO COUNTY PUBLIC LAW LIBRARY  \n609 9th St Sacramento, [CA 95814 | 916-874-6012 | saclaw.org](CA 95814 | 916-874-6012 | saclaw.org)  \ncontacting a third party more than once.  \nWhat Can I Do?  \nWrite a Letter  \nAs a consumer, you have the right to demand that a debt collector stop contacting you (15 U.S.C.§ 1692c) . You must notify a debt collector in writing that you want them to terminate all communication, or to terminate a particular type of communication such as telephone calls. If the collection agency is handling more than one of our debts, you must send a separate letter for each debt.  \nAfter receiving your request, the collector must stop ll communication, except to acknowledge that they will no longer contact you, or to inform you that they will be seeking a legal remedy such as starting a lawsuit.  \nTo ask a collector to terminate contact with you, send a letter via certified mail. Keep a copy foryour records.  \nSample Cease & Desist Letter  \nAccount \\#:  \nTo Whom it May Concern:  \nWith this letter I hereby request that you CEASE and DESIST any and all telephone calls. Please put any attempts to collect on the above referenced account in writing.  \nYou are hereby instructed to cease all collection efforts immediately or face legal sanctions under the Federal Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, 15 U. S.C. Sections 1692c and 1692k, which is incorporated and made applicable to creditors like your company by the Rosenthal Collection Practices Act, California Civil Code Section 1788.17.  \nPLEASE MARK YOUR FILES ACCORDINGLY.  \nThank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter.  \nYou can download this letter from our website. ([https://saclaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/cease-desist-letter.docx](https://saclaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/cease-desist-letter.docx))  \nPage 2  \nFair Debt Collection Act  \nSACRAMENTO COUNTY PUBLIC LAW LIBRARY  \n609 9th St Sacramento, [CA 95814 | 916-874-6012 | saclaw.org](CA 95814 | 916-874-6012 | sacla","cbCaitSwtwRErazM","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaitSwtwRErazM","pdf",79834,"English","# Contacting You About the Debt\n## Collector communication requirements\n## Prohibited harassment and misrepresentation\n# Contact with Third Parties\n## Limits on third-party contact\n# What Can I Do?\n## Write a Letter (cease and desist)\n## Sample cease and desist letter\n## Make a Complaint\n## Sue for violations\n## Violations and recoupment defense\n# For More Information","[{\"question\":\"Which laws protect consumers from unfair debt collection practices?\",\"answer\":\"Consumers are protected by the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and California’s Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which restrict abusive, unfair, or deceptive conduct by debt collection agencies.\"},{\"question\":\"What communication rules apply when a collector contacts a consumer?\",\"answer\":\"Collectors must contact at generally convenient times, route communications through an attorney when the consumer is represented, avoid workplace calls when prohibited, and refrain from harassment, abuse, threats, profanity, repeated contacts, and false or misleading statements.\"},{\"question\":\"How can a consumer stop collection calls and what should the letter include?\",\"answer\":\"Send a written cease and desist request asking the collector to terminate all communication or specific types (such as telephone calls). After the request, the collector must stop communicating except to acknowledge the termination or provide legal remedy information, and the sample letter instructs them to cease all telephone calls immediately.\"}]","Fair Debt Collection Act - Consumer Rights and How to Respond | PDF"]