Consumer Debt Collection Rights

Both Maine and federal law establish rights for consumers that debt collectors and buyers must abide by. If a debt collector violates any of your rights, file a complaint with the Bureau.

You Have the Right:

• To stop contact. Debt collectors are prohibited from contacting you if you request, in writing, for them not to do so.
• To be free from harassment. The Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires that you be treated fairly without harassment.
• To ask for proof of the debt, such as a copy of a bill.
• To dispute any of the debt you are told you owe within 30 days of initial contact by a debt collector.
• To be free from false or misleading representations. Debt collectors are also prohibited from falsely representing the amount or character of the debt.
• To be free from debt collection activities for an identity theft-related debt.
• To submit a complaint to government agencies.

It Is Illegal for a Debt Collector To:

• Call you before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m. without your authorization.
• Call over and over to annoy, abuse, or harass you or any person answering the phone.
• Post public messages on your social media accounts about your debt.
• Use obscene or profane language.
• Make threats of violence or harm.
• Lie about the amount you owe.
• Deceive you to collect money, for example by falsely claiming to be law enforcement officers or saying you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay your debt.
• Publish lists of people who refuse to pay their debts.
• Talk to you without telling you they are a debt collector, or using a fake company name.
• Bring a lawsuit or collect a debt unless they can verify the ownership and amount of the debt. The law also ends lawsuits on uncollected debts that are barred by an applicable statute of limitations.