How to File a CFPB Complaint Against a Debt Collector

What the CFPB Can Help With

The CFPB handles complaints about:

• Debt collectors (third-party collectors and original creditors collecting on their own debt)
• Credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion)
• Banks, credit card companies, and mortgage servicers
• Payday and installment lenders
• Student loan servicers

For debt collection specifically, the CFPB enforces the FDCPA and Regulation F. Common complaint categories:

• Calls outside permitted hours (before 8am or after 9pm)
• Calling your workplace after being told not to
• Threats of legal action the collector can't or won't take
• False statements about the debt or consequences
• Failure to provide debt validation after a written request
• Continuing to collect after a cease contact letter
• Attempting to collect a debt you don't owe

How to File: Step by Step

Step 1: Gather Your Documentation

Before filing, collect:

• The collector's name, company name, address, and phone number (from their letters or caller ID)
• Copies of any collection letters you've received
• Call logs with dates, times, and what was said
• Copies of any letters you sent (cease contact, debt validation)
• Account number or reference number if you have it

Step 2: Go to consumerfinance.gov/complaint

The CFPB's online complaint system walks you through the process. Select "Debt collection" as the product type. You'll be asked to describe what happened in your own words - be specific about dates, what was said, and how it violated your rights.

Step 3: Describe the Violation Specifically

Vague complaints ("they were rude to me") get less traction than specific FDCPA violations. Name the rule if you know it:

• "They called me at 7:00am on [date], which is before the 8am permitted calling time under FDCPA 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(a)(1)."
• "They continued calling after I sent a written cease contact letter via certified mail on [date]. Continued contact violates 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c)."
• "They threatened legal action on [date] stating they would garnish my wages. This is a false threat because they have not filed a lawsuit."

Step 4: Submit and Track

After submitting, you receive a confirmation number. The CFPB forwards the complaint to the company, which must respond within 15 days. You can view the company's response through your CFPB account and indicate whether you consider the response satisfactory.

When to File with Your State Attorney General Instead

State AGs also accept debt collection complaints and often have additional authority under state consumer protection laws. File with your state AG when:

• The collector is a local company (state AG has more practical jurisdiction)
• Your state has stronger protections than the FDCPA (California, New York, Colorado do)
• The conduct involved a violation of state law specifically (many states have additional restrictions beyond federal law)

File with both - there's no penalty for filing with multiple agencies, and complaints from multiple directions get more attention.

When to Sue Instead of (or in Addition to) Complaining

The FDCPA gives you the right to sue a debt collector in federal or state court within 1 year of the violation. If successful, you can recover:

• Actual damages (stress, lost work, etc.)
• Statutory damages up to $1,000 per lawsuit (not per violation)
• Attorney fees and costs (paid by the collector)

Consumer protection attorneys often take FDCPA cases on contingency because the fee-shifting provision means the collector pays if you win. If the violation is clear and documented, consulting a consumer attorney is worth it.

You can file a CFPB complaint AND a lawsuit - they're not mutually exclusive.