If you've been called by a debt collector and aren't sure what to do, the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has provided five sample letters.

If you do not send a dispute letter within 30 days, the collection agency can assume it’s a valid debt. » LEARN: ... but you do have rights for disputing a debt collection.

If the debt collector cannot prove that you owe the debt and continues with debt collection activity, calls, letters, and credit reporting, you can file a complaint with the CFPB and also dispute ...

: We've started getting calls and letters from debt collectors who claim my husband, Thomas, has unpaid accounts. This isn't true. The callers eventually tell us the last four digits of the person ...

The bottom line. Don't ignore collection accounts you don't owe. They won't go away on their own and can seriously damage your credit score. It's important to act quickly and dispute incorrect ...

This letter should include your name, the debt amount, the delinquent account and your consumer rights regarding debt collection. It’s essential you pay close attention to the validation letter ...

If you don’t respond with your own letter within 30 days requesting further validation or disputing the debt, you’re effectively admitting that you owe the alleged debt.

A debt verification letter is the same thing as a debt dispute letter. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers templates you can use to create one. In this letter, you should include: ...

When a debt collection agency contacts you about a past-due balance, the debt may not actually be yours. Federal law gives you 30 days to request that the collection agency validate your debt ...