When disputing a debt, you have certain rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a federal law that regulates the behavior of debt collectors.
Some of your rights under the FDCPA include:
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The right to receive written validation of the debt within five days of the collector's initial communication with you. This validation notice must include the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor, and your right to dispute the debt.
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The right to dispute the debt within 30 days of receiving the validation notice. If you dispute the debt in writing within this time frame, the collector must stop all collection activity until they can provide you with verification of the debt.
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The right to request the name and address of the original creditor if different from the current creditor.
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The right to request that the collector only communicate with you through writing rather than by phone or in person.
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The right to sue a debt collector if they violate the FDCPA.
It's important to keep in mind that the FDCPA applies only to third-party debt collectors, not to the original creditor or to in-house debt collection departments. More about your rights and protections can be found here on the FTC website.