If a debt collector or creditor has violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act while attempting to collect a debt from you, there are a few agencies with whom you can file a complaint.
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
The BBB is a non-profit consumer protection agency that collects information about companies in the United States and Canada and compiles it for use by consumers in comparing and finding trustworthy businesses. You can file a complaint against any business with the BBB as long as the complaint relates to marketplace issues. The BBB does not accept complaints about employers, people not operating a business, or government agencies. When a complaint is filed, it is forwarded to the company with a request for a response. If no response is received, the complaint is forwarded to the company a second time. The BBB will send you any response it receives or notify you if the company provides no response. To file a complaint with the BBB against a debt collector, visit the BBB’s Online Complaint System.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The Federal Trade Commission is charged with protecting consumers against unfair and deceptive business practices and accepts complaints about fraud and abuse, including debt collection practices, against companies located in the United States. Complaints are used to help the Commission detect patterns of fraud and abuse for potential legal action. You can file a complaint online in a few minutes by visiting the FTC’s Complaint Assistant.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a federal agency created to help protect consumers from unfair and abusive practices by financial businesses such as banks, credit card companies, and debt collection agencies. The Bureau maintains a consumer complaint database where consumers can search for companies or file their own complaint. Once a complaint is filed, the bureau contacts the business and attempts to get a response to address the consumer’s concerns. Complaints are used to help the Bureau identify problems for potential action. To file a complaint against a debt collector, visit the CFPB’s File a Complaint page.
Your State’s Attorney General (AG)
State Attorney General’s accept consumer complaints in order to help identify businesses using unfair, abusive, or deceptive practices for potential legal action. Your state attorney general cannot act as a private attorney and will not sue a company to recover money for individual consumers. Visit the National Association of Attorneys General, Who is My Attorney General webpage to find your AG.
Contact an Attorney
Although filing complaints against debt collectors who are violating the FDCPA will alert federal agencies and other consumers of the unfair practices, it may not be enough, and an FDCPA attorney might be able to help you settle the debt, get the collector to stop contacting you, or even get you money. If a debt collector or creditor is harassing, annoying, or abusing you, it is time to hold them accountable. Contact our office at 1-800-219-3577, for a free, no obligation case review.