70 million Americans have a debt in collections (CFPB)
Source: CFPB Consumer Credit Panel · 2024
Debt collection is subject to the FDCPA. CFPB complaint data is a useful signal of whether collectors are operating within legal requirements.
Debt collection Complaint Rates
CFPB complaints about debt collectors — wrong-amount claims, debts you don't owe, and FDCPA violations, ranked per 1,000 collection accounts.
How to read this table: Ranked from worst (most complaints) at the top to best (fewest complaints) at the bottom. Hover column headers for metric explanations.
A high complaint rate suggests practices consumers find aggressive, inaccurate, or legally questionable — including attempts to collect debts consumers don't recognise. Read our full methodology →
A high complaint rate on a debt collector means they are more likely to be chasing a debt you do not actually owe.
You cannot choose your debt collector - but you can choose how you respond. Under the FDCPA, you have 30 days to dispute any debt in writing. The collector must stop all contact until they verify it. A dispute letter takes 2 minutes to write. The best-rated alternative in this category has a complaint rate 76× lower than the highest-rate institution shown.
Rate = CFPB complaints ÷ estimated customers × 1,000 · Source: CFPB + FDIC BankFind · Data & pricing