Annually, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) submits to Congress a report detailing consumer reports made about violations under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
2007 saw an increase in the total number of complaints against third-party debt collectors - 70,951 compared to 69,249 complaints received in 2006. Debt collection complaints accounts for more than a quarter of all FTC complaints, more than any other industry. Included below is a detailed breakdown of the complaints including FDCPA section violated and # complaints per category.
In the report, the FTC acknowledges that the number of complaints received is a small percentage of the millions of contacts made by debt collectors during a typical year. However, the Commission also recognizes the likelihood that many consumers never make a formal complaint, perhaps because they're not aware their rights have been violated.
Actions Taken by the FTC
Based on the complaints received, the FTC reports plans to investigate debt collectors included in the complaints. Confirmed violators will be sued by the FTC or the Department of Justice in federal court.
This report and the actions included are confirmation the FTC takes action against complaints received from consumers. If your rights under the FDCPA are violated, don't hesitate to contact the FTC to make a complaint.
View the full report - Annual Report 2008: Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.| Complaint | % Complaints | # Consumers |
| Asking for larger than legal payment | 38.6% | 27,393 |
| Repeatedly calling | 19.7% | 13,989 |
| Repeatedly calling third party for contact information | 13.2% | 9,361 |
| Use of obscene, profane, or abusive language | 9.2% | 6,536 |
| Falsely threatening lawsuit or other unintended action | 6.5% | 4,592 |
| Improper calls to place of employment | 5.9% | 4,162 |
| Continuing to contact after cease and desist | 4.9% | 3,466 |
| Revealing debt to third party | 3.8% | 2,672 |
| Failure to send required notice | 3.1% | 2,182 |
| Failure to verify disputed debt and continuing collection | 2.6% | 1,848 |
| Demanding fees not owed | 2.3% | 1,637 |
| Calling at inconvenient times | 2% | 1,402 |
| Threat of violence for failure to pay | 0.3% | 219 |
