How to Stop Creditors and Collectors From Calling You

Your rights under the FDCPA and how to stop collection calls legally. Cease and desist letters, call restrictions, and how to report violations.

By Score Pros Team Updated April 09, 2026 6 min read

You Have the Legal Right to Make Them Stop

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), you can demand that a debt collector stop contacting you entirely. Send a written cease and desist letter, and they must stop all communication except to notify you of specific actions (like filing a lawsuit).

Important distinction: the FDCPA covers third-party debt collectors, not original creditors. If your bank or credit card company is calling you about your own account, they're not bound by the same rules. But collection agencies — companies that purchased your debt or were hired to collect it — must comply.

How to Send a Cease and Desist Letter

Your letter should include:

Your name, address, and account number.

A clear statement: "I am requesting that you cease all communication with me regarding this debt, in accordance with my rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c)."

Send via certified mail with return receipt. This creates proof they received it. Keep a copy for your records.

After receiving your letter, the collector must stop all contact except: confirming they will stop, notifying you of a specific legal action (lawsuit), or notifying you they won't take a specific action they previously threatened.

What Collectors Cannot Do (Even Before You Send a Letter)

Under the FDCPA, collectors are prohibited from:

Calling before 8am or after 9pm in your time zone.

Calling your workplace if you've told them (verbally or in writing) that your employer doesn't allow personal calls.

Contacting your family, friends, or neighbors about your debt (except your spouse or attorney).

Threatening violence, using obscene language, or harassing you with repeated calls intended to annoy.

Misrepresenting themselves as attorneys, government officials, or credit bureau employees.

Threatening actions they can't or won't take — like arrest, wage garnishment without a court judgment, or reporting to credit bureaus if they don't actually do so.

How to Report Violations

If a collector violates the FDCPA, you have options:

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): File a complaint at consumerfinance.gov.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Your state attorney general: Many states have additional debt collection laws beyond the FDCPA.

Private lawsuit: You can sue a collector for FDCPA violations. If you win, they may owe you up to $1,000 in statutory damages plus actual damages and attorney's fees.

Document everything — record dates, times, and content of calls (if legal in your state). Save voicemails and take screenshots of texts.

Stopping Calls Doesn't Make the Debt Go Away

A cease and desist letter stops the calls, but the debt still exists. The collector can still report to credit bureaus and can still file a lawsuit. Stopping communication doesn't stop the consequences.

If you're dealing with collections, consider negotiating a settlement or pay-for-delete to resolve the underlying debt. And if you're trying to decide whether to engage at all, our guide on paying vs. waiting breaks down the decision framework.

Not Sure Where to Start?

Get a free credit analysis from Score Pros. We'll review your reports, identify the fastest path to improvement, and build a plan — no obligation.

Book Your Free Clarity Session →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make collectors stop calling me?

Send a written cease and desist letter via certified mail citing your rights under the FDCPA (15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c)). They must stop all communication except to notify you of legal actions.

What are my rights under the FDCPA?

Collectors cannot call before 8am or after 9pm, contact your workplace if told not to, harass you, use threats or obscene language, misrepresent themselves, or discuss your debt with third parties.

Can collectors call my workplace?

They can initially, but once you tell them (verbally or in writing) that your employer doesn't allow personal calls, they must stop calling you at work.

What time of day can collectors call?

Only between 8am and 9pm in YOUR time zone. Calls outside these hours violate the FDCPA.

How do I report harassing debt collectors?

File complaints with the CFPB (consumerfinance.gov), FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov), and your state attorney general. You can also sue for FDCPA violations.

Does stopping collection calls make the debt go away?

No. A cease and desist stops communication but the debt still exists. The collector can still report to bureaus and file lawsuits. Consider negotiating to resolve the underlying debt.