Lifestyle

6 Things Your Debt Collector Hopes You Never Find Out

By Erica Coleman · July 31, 2026

The call comes at 8:30 in the morning. The person on the other end says you owe money. They may say a lot of other things too — things that aren’t true, or things they’re legally prohibited from saying. Most people don’t know the difference.

Federal debt collection lawsuits filed under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act rose 26.5% year over year in early 2026, according to industry compliance tracking — a sign that consumers are increasingly pushing back against collectors who cross the line. But most people still don’t know where the line is. Here’s what the FDCPA says collectors cannot do — and what you can do about it when they do it anyway.

They cannot call you before 8 AM or after 9 PM. This is one of the FDCPA’s clearest prohibitions. CBS News reports that debt collectors are explicitly barred from contacting you at times they know are inconvenient, and the law presumes calls before 8 AM and after 9 PM to be inconvenient regardless of what you say. If you’ve told a collector that calls to your workplace aren’t permitted, they must stop calling there. A single violation of these timing rules is a valid legal claim.

They cannot tell you that you’ll be arrested for an unpaid debt. Threatening arrest to collect a consumer debt — a credit card bill, a medical bill, a personal loan — is an explicit FDCPA violation. Unpaid consumer debt is a civil matter. The only way anyone goes to jail in connection with a debt is if a court issues an order to appear and the person refuses — which is contempt of court, not the debt itself. Any collector who uses the word “arrest” in connection with collecting a consumer debt has broken federal law. You can report that call to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.

They cannot discuss your debt with other people. A debt collector can contact third parties — family members, employers, neighbors — but only once, only to locate you, and only without revealing that you owe a debt. They cannot tell your boss you owe money. They cannot post about your debt on social media. They cannot leave a voicemail that reveals the nature of the call to someone other than you. Any of these disclosures is a violation that gives you legal standing to sue.

They cannot collect a debt that’s past the statute of limitations. Every state has a statute of limitations on debt — the period after which a creditor can no longer sue you to collect. Under the FDCPA, a collector cannot bring or threaten legal action on a time-barred debt. This matters because debt buyers often purchase old portfolios of expired debt and attempt to collect on accounts that are legally uncollectable. If a collector contacts you about a debt that’s more than a few years old, ask for the date of your last payment in writing before you do anything else. Making a payment — any payment — can restart the clock in some states.

They cannot add fees or interest that weren’t in the original agreement. Debt collectors are prohibited from collecting any amount beyond what’s actually owed — including fees, interest, or charges that weren’t authorized by the original credit agreement or explicitly permitted by state law. This is one of the most commonly violated provisions in the FDCPA. If the amount a collector quotes you doesn’t match what you believe you owe, ask for a written itemization before making any payment.

You have the right to demand they stop contacting you — in writing. Sending a written cease-and-desist letter to a debt collector legally requires them to stop contacting you, with two narrow exceptions: to confirm they’re ceasing collection efforts, or to notify you of specific legal action they intend to take. Once you send that letter, any further contact is a violation. A cease-and-desist doesn’t make the debt disappear, and collectors can still sue — but it stops the calls, texts, and letters. Send it via certified mail so you have proof of delivery.

If a collector violates any of these rules, you can sue them in federal or state court within one year of the violation. Successful plaintiffs can recover actual damages, statutory damages of up to $1,000, and attorney’s fees — which is why many consumer protection attorneys take FDCPA cases for free, collecting only if they win.