When can a debt collector report my debt to a credit reporting company?

Debt collectors must take certain steps before reporting a debt to a credit reporting company. After the debt collector has followed the rules about how to contact you, they can report your debt to a credit reporting company, as long as they follow other laws about credit reporting.

Before a debt collector can report your debt to a credit reporting company, the debt collector must follow the rules for contacting you.

What ways can a debt collector use to notify me about a debt?

A debt collector must use at least one of the following ways to contact you about your debt before it sends information about the debt to a credit reporting company:

• Speak with you in person
• Speak with you by telephone
• Mail you a letter and wait a reasonable amount of time (generally 14 days) for a notice that the letter wasn’t delivered
• Send you an electronic communication and wait a reasonable amount of time (generally 14 days) for a notice that the message wasn’t delivered

Also, if you have received a validation notice about a debt from a debt collector, it means they have satisfied their requirement to contact you and, in general, can begin to report the debt to credit reporting companies.

Whether or not you have a debt in collection, it’s important to frequently check your credit reports for accuracy. If you think a debt collector has improperly reported a debt to a credit reporting company without meeting their obligations under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), you can submit a complaint with the CFPB online or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).

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