Below is some information from government resources.
If you have a consumer complaint, you can file it with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau here.
If you want to learn more about Debt Collection FAQs, click here.
Portions below reproduced from Debt Collection FAQs from the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information page When a debt collector calls, it’s important to know your rights and what you need to do. The FTC enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which makes it illegal for debt collectors to use abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices when they collect debts. What types of debts are covered? Your credit card debt, auto loans, medical bills, student loans, mortgage, and other household debts are covered. Business debts are not. What are debt collectors not allowed to do? They can’t harass you. For example, they can’t:
threaten you with violence or harm
use obscene or profane language
repeatedly use the phone to annoy you
They can’t lie. For example, they can’t:
misrepresent the amount you owe
lie about being attorneys or government representatives
falsely claim you’ll be arrested, or claim legal action will be taken against you if it’s not true
They can’t engage in unfair practices. For example, they can’t:
try to collect interest, fees, or other charges on top of the amount you owe, unless the original contract or your state law allows it
deposit a post-dated check early
take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally
Can I control which debts my payments apply to? Yes. If a debt collector is trying to collect more than one debt from you, it must apply any payment you make to the debt you choose. A debt collector may not apply a payment to a debt you say you don’t owe. What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt? A collector has to send you a written “validation notice” within five days of first contacting you. The notice has to say:
how much money you owe
the name of the creditor you owe it to
what to do if you don’t think it’s your debt
What if I don’t think I owe the debt? You can send a debt collector a letter saying you don’t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt. If you send the letter within 30 days of getting the validation notice, the collector has to send you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe, before it can start trying to collect the debt again. You also can get a collector to stop contacting you, at any time, by sending a letter by mail asking for contact to stop. Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation? Report any problems you have with a debt collector to:
Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your attorney general’s office can help you determine your rights under your state’s law. What else can I do if I think a debt collector has broken the law? You can sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year of the date the law was violated. You can sue for damages, like lost wages and medical bills. If you can’t prove damages, you can still be awarded up to $1,000, plus reimbursement for attorney’s fees and court costs. Even if a court finds a debt collector violated the FDCPA in trying to collect a debt, you still owe the debt.