What to Do When a Debt Collector Calls

Stay calm, stay brief, and get everything in writing. One phone call can restart a statute of limitations or hand the collector an admission. Your goal is information, not resolution.

What to say

• "Please send everything in writing to my address."
• "What is the name of the original creditor and the account number?"
• "I dispute this debt and request validation."

What never to say

• "Yes, that's my debt." — an admission that can restart the clock
• "I can pay $20 now." — a partial payment that can revive an old debt
• Bank account or card numbers — never over the phone

Log the date, time, company, and caller. That record is the foundation of any FDCPA claim later.