The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act gives 77 million Americans the right to sue debt collectors for free — and almost nobody knows it. Me vs. Collector exists to change that. One case at a time.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. § 1692) is federal law. These aren't suggestions — they're violations that let you sue for up to $1,000 per incident plus actual damages and attorney fees.
Collectors may not contact you before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM your local time. A single call outside these hours is a federal violation.
You cannot be arrested for an unpaid civil debt. Any threat of arrest, criminal prosecution, or jail time for not paying is explicitly illegal and a common violation.
Once you inform a collector that your employer prohibits such calls, they must stop. Continuing to call your workplace after that notice is a violation.
Collectors can only contact third parties to locate you — they may not discuss your debt with family, neighbors, or friends. Disclosing your debt to others is a violation.
Collectors cannot misrepresent the amount of debt, add fees not in the original agreement, or claim you owe more than you do. Any false statement about the debt is illegal.
The CFPB's 2021 rule created a bright-line limit: collectors may not call you more than 7 times in 7 consecutive days, or within 7 days of speaking with you.
If you send a written request for the collector to stop contacting you, they must comply — with two narrow exceptions. Ignoring this request is a federal violation.
A collector may not pretend to be an attorney, law enforcement officer, or government official. Any false claim of legal authority or government affiliation is illegal.
Every debt has an expiration date for legal action. Threatening to sue on "time-barred" debt — or not disclosing that it's expired — may be a deceptive practice.
This sounds impossible. It's not. Federal law built the fee structure this way intentionally — to create lawyers who are financially motivated to hunt for FDCPA violations on your behalf.
Using our checker or your own knowledge, you recognize that a collector may have crossed the legal line — calling at 11pm, threatening arrest, contacting your boss.
FDCPA attorneys offer free consultations because they're evaluating whether they want to take your case — not billing you for their time.
If your case has merit, they take it with zero upfront cost to you. They pay all filing fees, court costs, and hours of legal work themselves.
FDCPA § 813 requires the losing collector to pay your attorney's fees. The attorney gets paid. You get your statutory damages. You pay nothing.
Because attorneys take these cases on contingency, a loss means the attorney absorbs the loss — not you. Your downside risk is zero.
Statutory damages under FDCPA § 813(a). Actual damages vary by case. This is general information, not legal advice. Connect with a licensed FDCPA attorney to understand your specific situation.
2025–2026 is the worst time in modern history to be getting calls from a debt collector — and the best time to know your rights.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — the federal agency responsible for enforcing debt collection laws — directed staff to stop all supervision, enforcement, rulemaking, investigations, and public communications. Debt collectors know the cop is gone. Complaint volumes have nearly doubled in one year. The FDCPA itself still gives you a private right to sue without the CFPB.
Free resources, templates, and guides — built for the person who just got their first threatening call and doesn't know where to start.
10 questions. Instant results. Find out if your collector broke federal law and whether you have grounds for a free lawsuit.
Free GuideUnder FDCPA § 805(c), a written request forces collectors to stop contacting you. Our template makes it simple — and creates a paper trail.
Free GuideCollectors must prove the debt is yours and the amount is correct if you ask within 30 days of first contact. Most people never ask. You should.
$27 KitCease-and-desist template, call log tracker, debt validation letter, dispute letter, and a step-by-step action guide — everything in one download.
$47 GuideSome FDCPA cases are simple enough to file yourself. Our step-by-step guide walks you through filing, serving, and winning a small claims case.
FreeOur vetted network of FDCPA attorneys offers free case reviews. They don't charge you — if they take your case, the collector pays their fees when they win.
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