How to dispute a debt

If a debt collector contacts you about a debt you don't recognize, think is wrong, or already paid, you have a federal right to dispute it and to ask the collector to prove it. A written dispute sent on time makes the collector pause collection until it sends you proof. This guide explains how it works, and the free letter below writes the dispute for you.

Step 1: Look for the validation notice

A debt collector must give you a validation notice, either in its first message or within 5 days after it (15 U.S.C. 1692g(a); 12 CFR 1006.34). The notice lists the collector's name, the creditor, the account number, the amount and how it was calculated since an “itemization date,” and the date by which you can dispute. The CFPB publishes a model form, so most notices look alike. Keep the notice and the envelope.

The dispute window is the validation period: it ends 30 days after you receive the notice. The notice states the end date. Mark it on a calendar.

Step 2: Decide what you dispute

You don't need a reason to dispute, and you don't have to prove anything. Common reasons are that the debt isn't yours (identity theft or a mix-up with someone else), the amount is wrong, you already paid or settled it, or you don't recognize the creditor. You can also ask for the name and address of the original creditor if it differs from the current one (15 U.S.C. 1692g(a)(5); 12 CFR 1006.38(c)).

Be careful what you write. Don't promise to pay and don't say the debt is yours if you aren't sure. In some states a written acknowledgment or a payment can restart the time limit to sue on an old debt; each state page explains your state's rule. The letter below says it is not an acknowledgment of the debt.

Step 3: Send the dispute in writing, on time

Send your dispute in writing before the validation period ends. Many notices include a tear-off form or an online portal; a letter by certified mail with a return receipt gives you proof of when the collector got it. Keep a copy of everything you send.

What the collector must do

If you dispute in writing within the validation period, the collector must stop collecting the debt until it mails you verification of the debt, or the name and address of the original creditor if you asked for it (15 U.S.C. 1692g(b); 12 CFR 1006.38(d)). Until then it may not call to collect, and it may not ignore your dispute. If the collector reports the debt to a credit bureau, it must report that you dispute it (15 U.S.C. 1692e(8)).

If you dispute after the validation period, you can still ask for proof, and a collector still may not misrepresent the debt (15 U.S.C. 1692e), but the automatic pause on collection applies only to timely disputes.

Ask for the collector's license

28 of our 48 state guides say that debt collectors must have a state license, for example Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California and Colorado. Where your state licenses collectors, the letter can ask for the collector's license number, and the state page links to the official license lookup. Compare every state in the licensing table.

State law can add more

The federal law mainly covers collection agencies and debt buyers, not the original creditor collecting its own debt (15 U.S.C. 1692a(6)). Some state laws also cover original creditors; in our guides, that includes California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii and Iowa. Your state page lists the extra protections and whether you can sue under the state law.

After you get a response

• The collector sends verification. Read it closely. If it still looks wrong, write back, keep records and consider a complaint.
• The collector never responds but keeps collecting. That may break the law. Complain to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint and to your state office on your state page.
• You get court papers. Respond by the deadline even if your dispute is pending. Read what to do if a debt collector sues you.

A dispute is not legal advice and doesn't cancel a real debt. If you are not sure what to do, a legal aid office can help for free; each state page lists free help.