Knowing your rights during debt collection can protect you from harassment, misinformation and costly mistakes.

Before you hand over money to a debt collector, take these steps to protect both your finances and your rights.

Have you ever been bugged by endless phone calls from those pestilential credit-card collectors pestering you about making a payment on your card debt? Or getting a cacophony of collection ...

DAVENPORT, Fla. – Debt collection calls are reaching new highs across the U.S. in 2025, with a significant number of those calls flagged as abusive or threatening. “We’re going to arrest you. We’re ...

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) in the United States. The FDCPA prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices ...

Angelica Leicht is the senior editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing ...

According to the Federal Trade Commission, there has been a 150% increase in debt collection calls per capita this year.

The Federal Trade Commission says that Florida is one of the highest-ranking states for debt collection calls. At least ...

The fake debt collector scam has been around for at least two decades. It’s resurfaced now with a frightening vengeance. With this scam, the operators claim to be collecting a debt that they say you ...

A Georgia debt collector is barred for life from the debt collection business after federal regulators say he harassed people into paying him debts they never owed. According to a new Federal Trade ...

Angelica Leicht is the senior editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing ...

Could your debt be reduced or forgiven? Take our financial relief quiz. Find my match Could your debt be reduced or forgiven? Take our financial relief quiz. Before a debt collector can pursue you for ...