Debt Collectors Calling Your Family: What They’re Allowed to Say (And What They’re Not)

Can Debt Collectors Call Your Family

Debt collectors are legally allowed to contact your family members exactly one time, and strictly for the purpose of acquiring your location or contact information. They are strictly prohibited from identifying themselves as debt collectors or mentioning that you owe a debt to anyone other than you or your spouse. While the legal justification is … Read more

Debt Collectors Calling Your Work: What They’re Allowed to Say (And What You Can Do About It)

Can Debt Collectors Call Your Work

A debt collector is legally permitted to call your workplace under federal law, but they must follow extremely strict rules regarding what they can say. Their primary goal in calling your job is rarely just to find you. It is a calculated tactic designed to use social pressure and the fear of your employer finding … Read more

What the Debt Collection Data Doesn’t Show: Six Things Every CFPB Report Leaves Out

What Debt Collection Industry Hides

The CFPB received approximately 207,800 debt collection complaints in 2024, but this number only captures what consumers actually know is wrong and take the time to report. The most consequential collection techniques, like manipulating a consumer into a statute of limitations reset, are completely invisible in regulatory complaint data. Compliance enforcement varies wildly across the … Read more

207,800 Complaints: What the CFPB’s 2024 Data Reveals About How the Debt Collection Industry Actually Works

Debt Collection Industry Statistics 2024

The CFPB received approximately 207,800 debt collection complaints in 2024, nearly double the volume from the previous year. A staggering 45% of all complaints involved consumers who simply did not recognize the debt being collected, marking a 333% increase in this specific issue. Lawsuit threats are weaponized heavily: 59% of legal threat complaints involved claims … Read more