Once you receive the notification, you have 30 days to contest it by writing a verification letter. Your validation notice will include information that you can use to respond to the collection agency, along with the date you should respond. The FDCPA also requires that the collector disclose in the initial communication that they are trying to collect a debt and that any information they obtain will be used for that purpose. The fact that a debt collector refuses to send a validation notice or does not respond to your verification letter constitutes a violation of the FDCPA.
In addition, if a debt collector violates the FDCPA and you sue him in court, you may be able to recover different types of damages, including monetary damages, attorney fees, and more. One of the most powerful tools you have under the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is to require the debt collector to verify the amount and validity of the debt you are trying to collect. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) requires collection agencies to provide debt validation letters to avoid asking consumers to pay debts that don't belong to them. If you believe that a debt collector has violated the FDCPA by trying to collect a debt from you, consider talking to an attorney for advice about your options.
