Send a written debt-validation request within 30 days of first contact. This legally pauses collection until the collector proves you owe the debt.
The most powerful consumer tool in collections is the validation request. Under the FDCPA, if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of the collector’s first contact, they must stop collecting until they mail you verification. Many can’t — debts get sold repeatedly and records go missing. Critically, do not acknowledge the debt or make a partial payment before validating: in some states that can restart the statute of limitations and revive a debt that was time-barred.
These are verified from primary sources. The exact number for your state may differ — see the state law library.
A written request, sent within 30 days of a collector’s first contact, requiring them to prove the debt is valid and yours. Collection must pause until they respond.
Yes. In some states, any payment or written acknowledgment can restart the statute of limitations, reviving a debt that had become time-barred. Validate before paying anything.
It varies by state and debt type, commonly 3–6 years. Once it passes, the debt is time-barred and cannot be enforced in court — though collectors may still try.
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