How Often Can a Debt Collector Call You?

Wondering how often a debt collector can call you before it crosses the line into harassment? Under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), strict rules limit the number of calls a debt collector can make each week.

Knowing how many times a collector can call you in one day, and what counts as illegal debt collection harassment, can help you protect your rights and stop unwanted calls. This article breaks down how often a debt collector is allowed to call, what time restrictions apply, and what steps you can take to make the calls stop. If a debt collector ignores the FDCPA, you can report them, demand they stop, and take legal action to protect your rights and seek compensation.

What the FDCPA Says About How Often a Debt Collector Can Call You

The FDCPA is a federal law that protects debtors from unfair and abusive debt collection practices. In a nutshell, the FDCPA says a collector can't call you more than seven times in seven days or within seven days after talking to you about the debt.

The FDCPA also provides certain restrictions on how debt collectors may communicate with you, including when a debt collector can call you, how a collector can treat you during the call, and when a debt collector must stop communicating with you.

How Many Times a Day Can a Collector Call You Before It Becomes Harassment?

Under Regulation F, which implements the FDCPA, a debt collector is presumed to violate federal law if it places telephone calls to a particular person in connection with the collection of a particular debt in either of the following circumstances.

• The collector calls more than seven times within seven consecutive days.
• The collector calls within seven consecutive days of having had a telephone conversation about the debt. The date of the telephone conversation is the first day of the seven-consecutive-day period. (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14 (2025).) (So, collectors must stop calling for seven days after talking with you about the debt unless you give them consent to call again sooner.)

Understanding the "7 Calls in 7 Days"

While the law doesn't specify a limit on how many times a collector can call you each day, they can't exceed these limits per week. Also, the calls can't be intended to harass, oppress, or abuse the debtor. So, if seven calls occur on the same day, that likely violates the FDCPA because the intent and frequency appears harassing.

Also, even though it doesn't exceed the numeric threshold, repeatedly calling throughout the day (say, three or four times) appears to be harassment. One or two calls per day might be okay so long as the collector doesn't violate other provisions of the FDCPA, such as by using threatening, profane, or abusive language.

Also, the numeric limitation applies to each particular debt, not per consumer. So, a debt collector can call you more often if you owe on several debts they're trying to collect.

How Many Times a Day Can a Collector Call You Before It Becomes Harassment?

In addition to the time restrictions listed above, a debt collector can't call you repeatedly or continuously to harass, abuse, or annoy you. A collector also can't use profane language or threaten to harm you, another person, or your or another person's reputation or property. (15 U.S.C. § 1692d (2025).)

Exceptions to Call Frequency Limits Under the FDCPA

Also, this telephone call frequency limit has three exclusions:

• calls for which you gave prior consent
• calls that don't connect to the dialed number, and
• calls placed to specific professional persons, like your attorney. (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(b)(3) (2025).)

Can a Debt Collector Call You at Night or Early Morning?

A debt collector can't call you at an unusual or inconvenient time. If a debt collector calls you before 8 a.m. in the morning or after 9 p.m. at night, it's presumed to be inconvenient.

But if the debt collector knows that you have special circumstances, such as an irregular work schedule that requires you to work nights, a call made between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. might also be considered inconvenient. (15 U.S.C. § 1692c (2025).) So, if it's inconvenient for a collector to call you at certain times, tell the collector so.

What to Do If a Debt Collector Calls You Too Often

If you don't want to receive any more calls, you can notify the debt collector in writing to stop contacting you. If you notify a debt collector in writing to stop contacting you, the debt collector can't communicate with you further except to:

• tell you that it will stop contacting you or
• notify you that it may (or will) pursue other remedies under the law, such as filing a lawsuit to collect the debt. (15 U.S.C. § 1692c (2025).)

How to Tell a Debt Collector to Stop Calling You

Send your cease communication request in writing by mail, using certified mail with a return receipt requested, and keep a copy for your records. You can also send the notice electronically if the debt collector accepts communications from consumers by email or through an online portal. However, mailing your letter is generally the most reliable option. While email or online submission might be convenient, certified mail with a return receipt provides proof that the collection agency received your request to stop contact.

Should I Tell a Debt Collector to Stop Calling Me?

You might not want to send a cease-contact letter. Stopping a collector from contacting you doesn't make the debt go away. And the collector can still take legal action to collect the debt, like filing a lawsuit. In fact, a lawsuit might become more likely because the collector has no other way to contact you or get payment.

If you stay in contact with the collector, you might be able to arrange a payment plan or settle the debt for less than you owe. Be careful with this option, though. Making a partial payment or a promise to pay might reset an expired statute of limitations.

Also, be aware that you can stop certain kinds of communication. Under the FDCPA, you may stop communications through a particular medium, subject to some exceptions. (15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c), 12 C.F.R. § 1006.6(c), 12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(h) (2025).) For example, you could tell a collector not to call you on your cell phone.

When It Might Be Wise to Stop Communication Completely

If you're certain the statute of limitations has expired, the debt isn't yours, or you're planning on discharging the debt in bankruptcy, it might make sense to ask the collector to stop contacting you altogether.

Again, you can tell a collector to stop communicating with you through a particular channel, subject to some exceptions. For example, if you tell a debt collector to "stop calling my cell phone," this statement means the collector can't call your cell phone. Or you can tell the collector not to use a specific email address or telephone number. (12 C.F.R. § 1006.14(h), See official interpretation (2025).)

Your Rights If a Debt Collector Ignores the Law

If you're receiving illegal collection calls and the collector persistently violates debt collection harassment laws, you have rights. You may file complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can also file a lawsuit against the collector or raise violations of the FDCPA as a defense if a collector is suing you.

If you're successful, you might be able to collect $1,000 in statutory damages, actual damages, and attorneys' fees and court costs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Debt Collection Calls

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about debt collection calls.

Can debt collectors contact you if you have an attorney?

Once you've hired an attorney, under the FDCPA, a collector must talk to your lawyer only—not you—unless your attorney gives permission to contact you directly or if your attorney doesn't respond to the collection agency's communications. (15 U.S.C. § 1692c(a)(2) (2025).)

What can debt collectors say to me under the FDCPA?

A debt collector can provide verification of the debt and details about the debt. They can contact you through letters, calls, and social media (but no public posts). They can also explain what actions they intend to take, such as filing a lawsuit, as long as they're truthful.

What can't debt collectors say under the FDCPA?

The FDCPA also covers things debt collectors can't say to you. They can't threaten arrest, physical harm, or lawsuits if they have no intent or legal authority to pursue. They can't use profane, obscene, or abusive language. They can't misrepresent themselves as attorneys or government officials. They also can't falsely claim you've committed a crime or that your wages or benefits will be automatically seized.

Can debt collectors contact you by text, email, or social media?

How can I make a debt collector stop contacting me?

You can stop all debt collector communication by sending a cease communication notice. But this isn't always the best idea. Also, remember, you can stop communications through certain mediums.

What steps should I take if a debt collector refuses to stop contacting me?

You can file complaints with the CFPB and FTC, and also consider talking to an attorney who can help you enforce your rights.

Taking Legal Action

If you're receiving illegal collection calls and trying to figure out what option is best for handling your debts, such as negotiating a settlement, suing a collector, or responding to a lawsuit for nonpayment of a debt, consider consulting with a debt relief lawyer.

And if you have a lot of debts, you might want to consider filing for bankruptcy. In that case, you'd want to talk to a bankruptcy attorney.