In a recent blog post, Dan Dwyer, a Staff Attorney with the FTC’s Division of Financial Practices, provided advice to assist consumers in communicating with a debt collector when the consumer does not recognize the debt. The post includes a link to a sample letter that consumers can use to dispute information on a credit report with the information provider.

The CFPB’s “Ask CFPB” webpage also provides advice to consumers regarding how to respond to debt collectors. Such advice includes sample letters that deal with such situations as when a consumer needs more information about a debt the collector has told the consumer that he or she owes, wants to dispute the debt and for the collector to prove the consumer’s responsibility for the debt or stop communication, wants to restrict how and when a collector can contact the consumer, or has hired a lawyer.