Before you start
For US consumer debts handled by collectors covered by the FDCPA. Original creditors collecting their own debts and business debts are generally outside this federal framework; state protections and exceptions may differ. Court papers need separate attention.
1. Choose a specific request
A preference and a prohibition are different. Saying that email is easier may leave it unclear whether you are asking for calls to stop. Identify the method or contact point you do not want used, and any time or place that is inconvenient. You can choose a request without negotiating a balance.
Under Regulation F, a covered collector generally must honor a request not to use a communication medium or a particular address or number. Electronic collection messages must provide a simple way to opt out of further messages to that address or number. Check the sender independently before using links in an unexpected message.
2. State only the restriction you intend
These are short examples to adapt: “Do not call this number.” “Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. are inconvenient for calls.” “Do not use this email address.” A channel restriction can be made orally; keeping a written follow-up helps you document the request.
If you give an alternative, use a contact method you can check privately. You do not need to explain a diagnosis or share your work schedule beyond what establishes the restriction. Do not include an SSN, full account number, passwords or bank details in this worksheet.
3. Understand a request to stop all contact
A request to cease all communications is a separate decision. For the federal cease-communication protection, send it in writing; an electronic request can qualify through a medium the collector accepts for consumer communications. Keep evidence of receipt, because that is when notification is complete.
Limited communications may still be permitted, such as notices that collection efforts are ending or that specified remedies may be or will be pursued. The request does not erase the balance or prevent a lawful lawsuit. If you want to dispute a debt, use the separate validation-letter guide and its applicable instructions; a contact preference alone is not a dispute.
4. Keep the request and subsequent events together
Make a small record with the request date, delivery method, exact restriction and evidence filename. Save the sent message and any acknowledgment separately. A phone note should say whom you spoke with and what you said, rather than simply “they know.”
Afterward, record the time, channel and content of each relevant contact. Preserve original messages and screenshots. The log organizes facts; it does not determine whether a law was broken. Avoid treating every later message as automatically unlawful: an opt-out confirmation, one response to contact you initiate through that channel, or a legally required communication can fall within an exception.
5. Follow up without losing other deadlines
If the same problem continues, compare your restriction with the later events and prepare a factual complaint. Include evidence of what the collector received. Ask for a concrete outcome, such as correcting contact settings and explaining the later calls.
Keep collection letters, court papers and credit-report disputes in separate tasks. Do not wait for a complaint answer before checking a court response requirement. If an account is old or disputed, get appropriate help before acknowledging it or promising payment merely to stop calls.
Fictional example: stopping calls, keeping mail
On September 21, 2026, Alex tells a verified collector to stop telephone calls and sends a copy through the collector’s accepted message channel. Alex can still receive paper mail and has not requested an end to every communication.
On September 23, a paper notice arrives. On September 24, another call appears. Alex saves both, but identifies the telephone call as the event to compare with the request. The notice is not automatically improper simply because calls were restricted. Alex does not assume that either event cancels the debt.
Before you finish
- I verified the recipient independently.
- My request identifies the channel, number, time or place.
- I understand whether I am limiting a channel or requesting all contact to stop.
- I saved the request and evidence of receipt or acknowledgment.
- I kept any dispute or court response as a separate task.
My contact restriction record
Use generic labels such as “collector A” and “personal phone.” These optional notes organize your decision; they do not send a request or automatically save it.
Optional notes stay in this page's memory. This worksheet does not send or save your entries. Do not enter account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, or other private information. Downloading or printing creates a copy you control.
Review the wording, send any request yourself through a verified route, and keep its evidence with your notes.
Questions you may have
Do I have to pay before I can ask for calls to stop?
A covered collector’s contact restrictions do not depend on first making a payment. Address the communication problem separately from whether the debt is yours, its amount and any decision to pay.
Does an email opt-out stop paper letters too?
No. An opt-out for an email address concerns that contact point. A request to stop all contact has a different scope and form, with limited exceptions.
Is one further message proof that my request was ignored?
Not by itself. Save the content and delivery dates and check the type of request and possible exceptions. A confirmation-only opt-out message differs from another payment demand.