Plain-English guides
for people getting harassed.

A collector called my job after I told them not to. I found out that's a clear FDCPA violation — and one of the easiest to prove. Here's exactly what I learned.

I had no idea what an FDCPA lawsuit actually looked like from the inside. Here's the step-by-step process I found out about, from the free consultation to how cases typically resolve.

I assumed the FDCPA was the whole story. Then I found out my state had its own, sometimes stronger, rules layered on top. Here's what I learned about federal law as a floor, not a ceiling.

I started counting the calls. Turns out federal law has an exact bright-line number for how many times a collector can call in a week — and I'd already blown past it.

Every debt has an expiration date for lawsuits. I found out mine had already passed — and that the collector calling me may not have been allowed to threaten a lawsuit at all.

They can't garnish your wages without a court judgment — and even then, federal law limits how much. Here's what I found out, including when the threat itself is a violation.

I almost said the wrong things and gave collectors power I didn't have to give. Here are 7 phrases to never say — and what I learned to say instead.

I tried ignoring the calls for weeks. Here's what actually happened — and the one scenario where ignoring has serious consequences.

Texts from collectors are legal under Regulation F — but only with strict rules most collectors don't follow perfectly. Here's what I found out.

I almost paid $50 to make the calls stop. An attorney told me not to. Here's why that payment could have cost me the legal protection I already had.

Someone knocked and identified themselves as a collector. Here's exactly what I found out about in-person contact rights — and what they cannot do.

There are very specific federal rules for what collectors can and cannot say in a voicemail. Here's what I found out — and why you should save every message.

I got a DM from someone claiming to be a collector. Here's exactly what Regulation F says — and when a social media contact becomes a violation.

Zombie debt is old, time-barred debt that collectors try to resurrect. Here's how the business model works — and the one move that can accidentally revive it.

A hospital bill went to collections and I assumed the rules were the same as credit card debt. They're not entirely. Here's what I found out about medical debt collector rights in 2026.

A debt collector threatening to sue you is terrifying — but most people don't know what actually happens, when to worry, or that being sued can actually work in your favor.

A collector said I owed money. I asked them to prove it. Here's what a debt validation letter does, when to send it, what to write, and what happens if they can't verify the debt.

I sent a cease and desist letter to stop debt collector calls — and it worked. Here's exactly what I wrote, what happened next, and what the law says they have to do.

The CFPB still exists — technically. But its mission has been changed, its staff gutted, and its headquarters closed. Here's what happened and what it means for you.

A debt collector threatening you with arrest is one of the most common — and most explicitly illegal — tactics in the industry. Here's exactly what the law says and what to do next.