Debt validation is your strongest tool: it forces a collector to prove a debt before you pay anything. Here's how it works — and the checker above drafts a validation-request letter for you.
Within 30 days of a collector's first contact, you can request validation in writing. The collector must then verify the debt — the amount, the creditor, and that you actually owe it — and must pause collection efforts until they provide that verification.
Keep it simple: state that you dispute the debt and request validation under the FDCPA, include the account/reference number from their letter (if any), and ask them to send written verification and the name of the original creditor. Don't admit the debt is yours.
Send within the 30-day window, in writing, and keep a copy plus proof of mailing (certified mail is ideal). Paste any collector message into the checker above and it will generate a validation-request starter you can adapt.
A written request, under the FDCPA, asking a collector to prove a debt — the amount, the creditor, and that you owe it. Send it within 30 days of first contact; the collector must verify and pause collection until they do.
The collector must stop collecting until they provide written verification. If they can't validate the debt, they should cease collection. If they ignore the law and keep collecting, you may have an FDCPA claim.