If debt collection agencies are repeatedly calling you, harassing you with messages, or trying to intimidate you in any way, use a cease and desist debt collection letter to demand that they stop. Below, we provide a strongly worded template to help you make an effective request.
The letter warns the debt collection agencies that you’ll take legal action unless the agencies respect your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
How to Write a Cease and Desist Debt Collection Letter?
When writing a cease and desist debt collection letter there are several key elements that you need to include to ensure your letter is impactful. To thoroughly document the problem, we provide simple blanks for you to fill in and provide details about:
- Dates: When the unlawful correspondence took place
- Debt Demand: How much money the debt collectors are requesting, from whom, and from which accounts
- Unlawful Behavior: Details of the types of abusive and deceptive debt collection practices, and how it impacts you personally
This letter (and the FDCPA) only applies to debt collection agencies, and not to the original creditor.
All of the above elements are included in our document builder.
Sample Cease and Desist Debt Collection Letter
Here’s what a typical cease and desist debt collection letter looks like:
Cease and Desist Debt Collection
Create this letter with our document builder.
Why Use a Cease and Desist Debt Collection Letter?
There are a number of reasons to send a cease and desist letter debt collection letter:
- Put a stop to harassing calls from debt collectors immediately
- A quick, easy and effective way to stop debt collectors from calling you
- If, after sending a cease and desist debt collection letter, harassing calls continue, you will have an additional piece of evidence to help report the collector to the Federal Trade Commission
Is a Cease and Desist Debt Collection Letter Legally Enforceable?
No, a cease and desist debt collection letter isn’t legally enforceable. It only serves as a warning that you’ll take legal action unless their violating behavior stops. Ideally, the agencies will stop contacting you as soon as they receive the letter, but you may need to take further action if they don’t.
Note that sending a cease and desist letter won’t forgive your debt, but it should stop the debt collection agency from unlawfully calling you. However, the debt collector can still sue you to collect the money owed.
What If Debt Collection Agencies Keep Contacting Me?
If the debt collection agency doesn’t stop unlawfully contacting you within 15 days of receiving the letter, you should submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, and/or your state’s Attorney General’s office.