Letter · cease communication
Cease-communication request
Tells the collector in writing to stop contacting you. Use with care — it can prompt a lawsuit on a debt that is still within the limitations period. It is grounded in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692c — Communication in connection with debt collection: Governs when and how a collector may contact you. Subsection (c) lets you notify a collector in writing to cease further communication; with limited exceptions the collector must then stop contacting you. Basis for the cease-communication letter.
One important caution: a cease-communication request does not erase the debt, and it can prompt a collector to sue rather than keep calling — especially if the debt is still within the limitations period. Consider whether a validation letter or a time-barred-debt notice fits your situation better, and talk to a consumer-law attorney when in doubt.
Tells the collector in writing to stop contacting you. Use with care — it can prompt a lawsuit on a debt that is still within the limitations period.
[Your full name] [Your street address] [City, State ZIP] [Date] [Collector / creditor name] [Collector address] Re: Account/Reference No. [account / reference number] To Whom It May Concern: I am writing regarding the account referenced above. This letter is not an acknowledgment that the debt is valid or owed by me. Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c), I am notifying you in writing to cease all further communication with me concerning this debt, except as permitted by that section (for example, to advise me that your collection efforts are being terminated, or to notify me that you intend to pursue a specific remedy). Please do not contact me by telephone, in writing, or through any third party regarding this matter, other than as § 1692c(c) allows. I understand that requesting that you cease communication does not eliminate the underlying debt and does not prevent you from pursuing remedies the law otherwise permits. Sincerely, [Your full name]
What this letter is grounded in
Tip: send by mail and keep a copy. For the debt-validation letter, certified mail with return receipt creates a dated record. None of your input here is sent to us.