Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, third-party communication limits (and Regulation F)
FDCPA
Financial · Communications
The FDCPA protects debtor privacy by barring collectors from discussing a debt with third parties such as employers, family members, or neighbors, except in narrow cases. Regulation F adds rules on electronic communications, including opt-out notices.
- Where
- Federal
- Citation
- 15 U.S.C. 1692c(b); 12 CFR Part 1006
- Status
- In force
- In force since
- 1978-03-20
- Last amended
- 2023-04-19
- Enforced by
- CFPB and FTC; private plaintiffs
- People can sue
- Yes
- Penalties
- Actual damages, statutory damages up to $1,000 per individual action, class damages, and fees (15 U.S.C. 1692k); regulator enforcement.
- Applies to
- Third-party debt collectors collecting consumer debts
What a privacy notice must say
- Electronic collection communications must include a clear way to opt out.12 CFR 1006.6(e)
Practices it requires
- Do not communicate about a debt with anyone other than the consumer, the consumer's attorney, a credit reporting agency, the creditor, or their attorneys without consent or court permission.15 U.S.C. 1692c(b); 12 CFR 1006.6(d)
- Do not contact the consumer at inconvenient times or at work when the collector knows the employer prohibits it.15 U.S.C. 1692c(a)
Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.
Unverified: 1692k damages and 12 CFR 1006.6(d)-(e) were cited without re-reading | last_amended reflects the latest eCFR version date for Part 1006 (2023-04-19), content not reviewed
Research reference, not legal advice.