A debt collector may contact you about a debt and is generally required to provide information about it and how to dispute it. Ignoring or avoiding the collector is unlikely to stop the contact, and the collector may use other methods to try to collect the debt, including filing a lawsuit.
What to have in front of you
- The information the collector provided about the debt.
- The information the collector provided about how to dispute it.
- Any lawsuit papers you have received.
What may happen if you ignore the collector
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says a debt collector is unlikely to stop contacting you because you ignore or avoid them. The collector may find other ways to contact you or use other methods to try to collect the debt.
One possible method is filing a lawsuit. If a collector sues you to collect a debt, it is important to take the lawsuit seriously. The information below explains what the CFPB says may happen if you do not respond to a properly served lawsuit.
There are federal protections that prohibit harassment or abusive communications by debt collectors. The CFPB also says that talking with a collector can help you get more information about the debt.
What information the collector should provide
Debt collectors are generally required to provide certain information to help you determine whether the debt is yours. They are also generally required to provide information about how you can dispute the debt.
The information about disputing the debt matters if you do not believe you owe it or if you believe the amount is incorrect. The collector’s information is meant to help you understand how to dispute it in those situations.
If a collector refuses to provide the required information, that is a warning sign that it may be a scam. The CFPB describes a refusal as a warning sign that the contact may be a scam.
Options when a collector contacts you
Talking with the collector is one option. The CFPB says a conversation can help you get more information about the debt.
The collector is generally required to give you information to help you determine whether the debt is yours. You can consider that information along with what the collector provides about how to dispute the debt.
If you do not believe you owe the debt, or you believe the amount is incorrect, disputing the debt is an option. The information the collector is generally required to provide should tell you how to dispute it.
Ignoring the contact is unlikely to make the collector stop. The collector may continue trying to contact you or use other methods to try to collect the debt.
If a debt collector sues you
If you ignore a collector’s attempts to contact you and the collector files a lawsuit to collect the debt, the CFPB says it is important to take the lawsuit seriously.
Not responding to a properly served lawsuit can result in the court issuing a judgment against you. This can happen even if you are unsure whether you owe the debt.
A judgment could limit your ability to dispute the debt, even if the debt has already been paid or you do not owe it. The CFPB describes these as possible consequences of not responding to a properly served lawsuit.
Contact from a collector and a lawsuit
The CFPB discusses both contact from a debt collector and a lawsuit to collect a debt. Its information about talking with a collector concerns getting more information about the debt. Its warning about a possible judgment concerns not responding to a properly served lawsuit.
For contact from a collector, the information provided should help you determine whether the debt is yours and explain how to dispute it. For a lawsuit, the CFPB says to take it seriously, including when you are unsure whether you owe the debt.
The CFPB’s page provides general consumer information. It is not legal advice or regulatory guidance.
Where this comes from
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: “What may happen if I ignore or avoid a debt collector?”