Both state and federal Governments have passed laws placeing legal restrictions intended to restrict the characteristically bad behavior of debt collectors. We encounter three types of debt collectors: creditors who charge of the deb and attempt to collect the debt for themselves, third-party debt collectors who collect on behalf of creditors, and third-party debt buyers who purchase the debt and collect the money for themselves.

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The Federal laws that govern debt collector behavior is called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, commonly referred to as the FDCPA. Additionally, some states have passed their own statutes. For example, in Californiat, they have their own set of collection practice laws called the California Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, also known more commonly as the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("RFCPA"). In Florida, the state statutes are called the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act ("CCPA"). Not all states have consumer collection laws.

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Unless you know the laws that protect you, you won't be able to stop or spot unlawful behavior. Go to Understand the Law button to the left to learn your rights.