8 Things Debt Collectors Are Not Allowed to Do

Getting a call from a debt collector can be stressful, especially when you’re already struggling to manage your bills. But owing money does not mean you have to accept threatening phone calls, embarrassing messages, or unfair treatment.

In the United States, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) sets rules that certain debt collectors must follow when trying to recover unpaid consumer debts.

The law generally covers debts related to personal, family, or household expenses, such as credit cards, medical bills, and personal loans. It does not generally cover business debts or original creditors collecting their own accounts, although some exceptions and state laws apply.

Debt collectors can legally contact consumers and pursue unpaid balances. However, federal law draws a line between reasonable collection efforts and abusive, deceptive, or unfair behavior.

Here are eight things debt collectors are not allowed to do under federal law.

Harass You With Repeated or Abusive Calls

A debt collector cannot keep calling your phone repeatedly with the intention of annoying, abusing, or harassing you. Protections against harassment also apply to other forms of communication, including text messages and emails.

Under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s debt collection call frequency guidelines, a collector is generally presumed to have violated the rules if they call someone more than seven times about a particular debt within seven consecutive calendar days. Another violation is presumed if they call within seven consecutive calendar days after speaking with that person about the debt.

However, this is not an absolute seven-call limit or permission to make seven harassing calls. Certain calls are excluded from the calculation, and even fewer calls can violate the law depending on the circumstances.

Threaten or Intimidate You

Collectors are allowed to request payment, but they cannot use prohibited threats or abusive tactics to force you to pay.

The FDCPA prohibits threats of violence or other criminal harm against consumers, their reputation, or their property. It also prohibits obscene, profane, or abusive language.

For example, a collector cannot threaten to hurt you or damage your property because you have an outstanding credit card balance. They also cannot use insulting and abusive language simply because you cannot make a payment immediately.

That does not mean every uncomfortable conversation is automatically illegal. Collectors can explain what you owe, request payment, and discuss legitimate collection options. The problem arises when their behavior crosses into prohibited threats, abuse, or harassment.

Call You at Certain Inconvenient Times or Places

Debt collectors cannot simply contact you whenever they feel like it. Generally, federal law prohibits collection communications before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., based on your local time. They also cannot contact you at another time or place they know, or should know, is inconvenient for you.

Your workplace is another important consideration. If a collector knows or has reason to know that your employer prohibits personal collection calls at work, they cannot contact you there.

You can also tell a collector during a call that the current time is inconvenient. They must end that call rather than continue the conversation. They generally cannot keep contacting you at times or places they know are inconvenient, subject to limited legal exceptions, including prior direct consent or court permission.

These rules are designed to prevent collection efforts from unnecessarily interfering with your work and personal life.

Reveal Your Debt to Unauthorized People

Your outstanding debt is personal financial information. A debt collector generally cannot discuss it with your friends, coworkers, neighbors, or relatives without legally permitted authorization.

For example, a collector cannot call your workplace and announce to your colleagues that you have failed to pay a personal loan.

There are limited exceptions. Collectors may contact certain third parties to obtain location information, such as your address, telephone number, or workplace. However, they generally cannot reveal that you owe money during these communications.

They are also generally restricted from contacting the same third party more than once for location information, unless an applicable exception applies.

Other permitted communications may involve your attorney, spouse, or legally authorized recipients, depending on the circumstances.

The purpose is to prevent collectors from using embarrassment or public pressure to recover money.

Lie About Your Debt or Pretend to Have Legal Authority

A debt collector cannot use false information to convince you to pay.

Under the FDCPA, collectors cannot misrepresent the amount you owe, the legal status of a debt, or their authority to collect it. They also cannot falsely claim to be attorneys, government representatives, or someone officially connected to a court.

For example, imagine receiving a letter demanding payment that looks like an official court order. If the document is actually an ordinary collection notice designed to appear as though a government agency issued it, that could violate federal law.

Collectors also cannot falsely suggest that a debt has a different legal status or that they have official authority they do not possess.

If something about a collection notice seems suspicious, verify the collector’s identity and the information about the debt before making payment.

Threaten Arrest or Legal Action They Cannot Take

Owing money does not automatically mean you can be arrested or sent to prison.

Debt collectors cannot falsely threaten consumers with arrest or imprisonment because they have not paid an ordinary consumer debt. They also cannot threaten legal action that they cannot legally take or do not actually intend to pursue.

For instance, a collector cannot claim that police officers will arrive at your home tomorrow to arrest you over an unpaid credit card balance when no such legal action exists.

The same principle applies to threats involving wage garnishment or property seizure. A collector cannot claim these actions will happen unless they are legally available and the collector or creditor actually intends to pursue them.

However, there is an important distinction: legitimate legal action is not automatically prohibited. Collectors may pursue available legal remedies, including lawsuits, when they have a lawful basis and genuinely intend to proceed.

Add Unauthorized Fees and Charges

Your outstanding balance should not become an opportunity for a collector to add random charges.

Under the FDCPA, debt collectors generally cannot collect interest, fees, or additional amounts unless the agreement creating the debt expressly authorizes them or applicable law permits them.

For example, a collector cannot simply invent a $100 processing charge and add it to your outstanding balance without a valid contractual or legal basis.

The same applies to collection fees and other additional charges. Before accepting a new amount, you can ask the collector to explain where it came from and what authorizes it.

Keep in mind that not every additional charge is illegal. Some agreements and applicable laws allow certain interest or collection costs. The important question is whether the charge has a legitimate legal or contractual basis.

Publicly Expose or Shame You Over Your Debt

Debt collectors cannot use prohibited public disclosures to embarrass consumers into paying.

The FDCPA prohibits publishing lists of people who allegedly refuse to pay their debts, although legally permitted credit reporting is treated differently.

As the CFPB explains in its official consumer guidance, a collector cannot publicly post about your alleged debt on social media. Private messages may be permitted under certain conditions, but you can request that the collector stop contacting you through that channel.

For example, a collector cannot post on your Facebook timeline announcing that you owe money and demanding that you settle your account. That is different from reporting accurate debt information to an authorized credit reporting agency.

Keep a Record of Questionable Conduct

Knowing your rights is useful, but keeping evidence can be just as important if you believe a collector has crossed the line.

Save collection letters, emails, text messages, and voicemails. Write down the dates and times of calls, the collector’s name, and what was discussed. These details may help if you decide to challenge the conduct.

You can also submit a complaint through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or contact your state attorney general to learn about additional protections.

If you believe a collector has violated your rights, consider speaking with an attorney about your particular circumstances.

Debt collectors have legitimate ways to recover money, but consumers also have legal protections. Knowing where those boundaries lie can help you recognize when a collection attempt has gone too far.