Debt Validation Letter: Definition, Sample, and Your Rights (2024)

A debt validation letter is a letter that debt collectors must provide that includes information about the size of your debt, when to pay it, and how to dispute it. A debt collection letter essentially proves you owe the debt collector money.

What Is a Debt Validation Letter?

When debt collectors contact you about money you may owe, they are required by law to provide you with certain information:

• The name of the creditor you supposedly owe money to
• The amount you owe
• That you have the right to dispute the debt, but if you don’t dispute it within 30 days of being contacted, the debt collector can assume it is valid
• That if you dispute the debt in writing, the debt collector must provide written evidence of the debt

If debt collectors first contact you by phone, ask that they instead contact you in writing. They are then required to send you a debt validation letter within five days containing all of that information.

Debt Collection and Your Rights

If you believe that you don’t owe the debt described in the debt validation letter, either because it doesn’t belong to you or the statute of limitations has expired, you have 30 days to dispute it, starting from the date you received the required information from the debt collector.

If you dispute it via writing, debt collectors are not allowed to call you or contact you or try to collect payment until they have sent written verification that you owe the debt.

When disputing a debt, make sure you date your letter and send it via certified mail, so you have a record of when the debt collector received it.

If you are requesting additional information, your letter should ask for details on why the debt collector believes you’re responsible for the debt, how old the debt is, andwhether the agency is licensed to collect it.

You can also request that the debt collector only communicate with you through your lawyer or specify what contact methods are permitted.

If a debt collector continues to contact you or harasses you, you may file a complaint with the following agencies:

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• Federal Trade Commission
• Your state attorney general’s office

Sample Letter to Dispute a Debt

If you’re not sure what should be included in your letter, you can use the one below as a template. In this example, the person writing the letter believes they do not owe the money because of fraudulent activity.

[Your name]

[Your return address]

[Date]

[Debt collector’s name]

[Debt collector’s address]

Subject: [Including debt account number, if available]

Dear [Debt collector],

I was contacted by [debt collector representative’s name] via [phone or letter] on [date]. The representative said I owed [dollar amount] to [name of creditor]. However, I do not owe that debt. My information was stolen [when], and I disputed that account with [name of creditor] and the major credit bureaus.

If you believe that I am still responsible for this debt, please send me any documentation you have that proves that I owe it. Until then, please cease all communication with me and note on your records that I dispute any responsibility for this debt.

If you are reporting this information to a credit bureau or have already reported it, report that I am disputing this debt.

Thank you,

[Your name]

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has other sample letters on its website that you can customize to respond to debt collectors.

Next Steps

After you have mailed your request, debt collectors should send you any documentation they have that you owe the debt. Or, they may stop all collection efforts if they don’t have enough information to prove you owe it. If they send documentation, review it carefully and compare it to your own records.

If it turns out that you do owe the money, as the debt collector claims, you may be able to negotiate with the collector and make a partial payment or set up a payment plan. If you’re unsure what to do next, and the amount involved is large enough, a debt collection attorney could be of help.

The Bottom Line

Having your debt turned over to a collection agency also has serious consequences, including potential damage to your credit. Some debt collectors can be aggressive and may attempt to collect on debts that you never owed or no longer owe.

Debt collectors must provide you with certain information in a debt validation letter. It's important to understand your rights regarding debt collection, including the fact that you are entitled to a debt collection letter. Before you agree to pay anything or even acknowledging that the debt is yours, you should make sure you've received certain information provided on a debt collection letter.