Harassment cases are won on paper, not on outrage. The collector’s conduct either crossed the lines in FDCPA §806 or it did not — and the difference between a complaint that changes things and one that goes nowhere is usually the quality of the record underneath it. This page is the process: recognise the conduct, document it in a form regulators and lawyers can use, preserve the originals, and act in the order that builds pressure. The complaint walkthroughs themselves live on their own pages; this one builds the evidence they run on.
General information, not legal advice. Section 806 binds third-party collectors and debt buyers. A hospital billing office collecting its own bill is usually outside the FDCPA, though state law may impose equivalent duties — and documentation matters under either regime.
Section 806 (15 U.S.C. §1692d) prohibits conduct meant to harass, oppress, or abuse. In plain words, the categories are:
Lies and threats about consequences — arrest, garnishment “tomorrow,” lawsuits that cannot be filed — sit in the neighbouring section (§807) and have their own catalogue: illegal debt collector threats. The complete rights list, once and in one place, is the FDCPA rights page; this page stays on process.
The CFPB’s guidance is blunt: keep a record of any letters, documents, or communications, and write down dates and times of conversations with notes about what was discussed. Use this log format — it matches what complaint reviewers and consumer attorneys actually ask for:
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Date & local time | Exact, for every contact — calls, texts, letters, voicemails |
| Channel & number | The number that called or the return address on the envelope |
| Who | Agent’s stated name + company name, exactly as given |
| Which debt | The provider/account they referenced (call counts run per debt) |
| Answered? | Conversation, voicemail, or unanswered ring |
| What was said | Exact words where it matters — quote threats verbatim |
| Witnesses | Anyone who heard it, including on speakerphone |
| Limits you set | Any restriction you stated (“I told them calls are inconvenient”) |
| Effect on you | Missed work, a call taken in front of your employer — concrete, not dramatic |
Verbatim quotes are the gold in this table. “He was rude” is an opinion; “he said, ‘we’ll have you picked up Friday’” is evidence. If your state allows it, record the call — a recording plus this log is close to unanswerable.
What is harassment by a debt collector? Conduct the FDCPA §806 forbids: threats of violence, obscene or profane language, publishing debtor lists, advertising a debt for sale, causing a phone to ring repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy or harass, and collection calls made without meaningful disclosure of the caller’s identity.
What should I keep a record of? Everything, in the CFPB’s terms: any letters, documents, or communications, plus dates and times of conversations and notes about what was discussed. The log format in Step 2 adds the fields that decide cases — exact words, which debt, witnesses, and the limits you had already set.
How do I report a debt collector for harassment? Build the log first, then file with the CFPB (the company must respond), your state attorney general’s consumer protection division, and the FTC. Each route is walked through on its own page, linked from Step 4.
Can I sue a debt collector for harassment? Yes — the FDCPA provides a private right of action: actual damages, up to $1,000 in additional statutory damages, and attorney’s fees, with a one-year window to file. Strong documentation is what makes such a case viable, which is why the log comes before everything else on this page.
General information, not legal advice. Sources: 15 U.S.C. §§1692d, 1692k; CFPB Ask CFPB #336; FTC Debt Collection FAQs. Currency verified 2026-10-23.