Debt collector still calling after your validation request? You may have an FDCPA claim worth $1,000 per violation.
Once you request validation in writing, the collector must cease all collection activity until they provide compliant validation. Every contact after that is a separate violation.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.) gives consumers a hard right: once you request validation of a debt in writing within the validation window, the debt collector must cease all collection activity until they provide compliant validation. If they keep calling, writing, reporting to credit bureaus, or contacting third parties — each contact is a separate FDCPA violation, and each violation can carry up to $1,000 in statutory damages, plus actual damages, court costs, and reasonable attorney fees.
Most consumer-protection attorneys handle FDCPA cases on contingency, meaning the consumer pays nothing up front and the attorney recovers fees directly from the collector under § 1692k. That's why FDCPA cases tend to settle — collectors know that fighting a documented violation is a losing economic proposition.
Before lawsuit, the right move is usually a written notice that documents the specific violations, demands cessation, and signals intent to file with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the state attorney general. The CFPB complaint takes 5-10 minutes, is free, and triggers a regulatory response that collectors take seriously.
Legal mechanisms now in play
- FDCPA statutory damages up to $1,000 per action (15 U.S.C. § 1692k)
- Actual damages — including emotional distress in many jurisdictions
- Attorney fees and court costs paid by the collector under § 1692k
- CFPB complaint and investigation authority
- Cease-and-desist authority under § 1692c(c) — consumer can demand all communication stop
- Class-action damages up to $500,000 or 1% of the collector's net worth
Notice of FDCPA Violations — Post-Validation Demand
References your original validation request by date. Documents the specific FDCPA violations (continued contact, non-compliant validation, third-party contact, harassment, lawsuit threats). Invokes § 1692k statutory damages, § 1692c(c) cease-and-desist authority, and § 1692e(8) credit-reporting prohibitions. States your intent to file with the CFPB and state attorney general within a short deadline.
$19.00 ($9.00 if you bought our earlier letter — apply via the receipt URL or QR code in your first letter's PDF)
Start the Notice of FDCPA Violations — Post-Validation Demand →Frequently asked
How long do I have to file an FDCPA claim?
The FDCPA statute of limitations is one year from the date of the violation. That's short. Document each contact with date, time, and what was said — and don't sit on a claim. State statutes (like California's Rosenthal Act) often have longer windows that can layer with the federal claim.
Will filing a CFPB complaint stop the calls?
Often yes. The CFPB forwards complaints to the collector and gives them ~15 days to respond. Collectors aware of CFPB attention typically pause collection activity to avoid stacking violations. The complaint also creates a documented record useful in any civil action.
What about state laws — are they stronger than the FDCPA?
Many states have parallel statutes that cover collectors not covered by the FDCPA (such as original creditors, in some states), provide higher damages, or longer statutes of limitations. Examples: California's Rosenthal Act, New York's GBL § 600, Texas's DTPA. Most attorneys file federal AND state claims together for maximum recovery.
What if the debt is actually mine?
FDCPA violations are independent of whether the debt is valid. A collector who harasses you for a legitimate debt is still liable for the harassment. That said, validating the debt and resolving it is usually the goal — the FDCPA claim is leverage, not the destination.
How much does the next-step letter cost?
$19 standalone, or $9 if you bought our original validation request letter — your receipt URL or QR code applies the discount automatically.