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Complaints about debt collection calls in the U.S. jumped dramatically in 2025, both in raw volume and on a per‑person basis, and a large share of those calls were abusive or tied to scams.
How big was the spike?
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FTC complaint data show per‑capita reports of debt collection calls rose about 200% from 2024 to 2025, with more than 400,000 Americans filing complaints that year.
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An analysis of FTC data found reported debt collection calls more than doubled in just Q1, from 44,999 in early 2024 to 112,583 in Q1 2025, a roughly 150% increase.
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Nearly 47% of 2025 reports were labeled abusive, threatening, or harassing, almost four times the share a year earlier.
Why did calls surge?
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Households entered 2025 with record or near‑record debt loads: total household debt reached about 18.39 trillion dollars in mid‑2025, with credit card balances and other consumer loans rising quickly, making delinquencies more likely.
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Higher interest rates and persistent inflation squeezed budgets, so more people fell behind on credit cards, auto loans, and medical bills, triggering collection activity.
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Experts note that increased public awareness and easier online reporting may have boosted complaint counts, alongside a rise in scam callers posing as collectors.
Where was it worst?
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Almost every state saw an increase in reported collection calls between 2024 and 2025, with Texas, Arkansas, and Alaska among those with the steepest percentage jumps.
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Some areas logged more than 80 debt collection call complaints per 100,000 residents, indicating especially intense pressure on consumers in those markets.
What this means for consumers
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Regulators like the FTC and CFPB treat these numbers as warning signs about both financial stress and aggressive or illegal collection tactics.
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Consumer advocates urge people to verify any collection call, demand written validation of the debt, and report harassment or suspected scams to the FTC or CFPB.
The spike in 2025 debt collection calls came from a mix of heavier consumer debt and delinquencies, more aggressive (and sometimes fraudulent) collectors, and better reporting and scam activity.
1. Rising debt and delinquencies
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Household debt hit record levels around 18–18.4 trillion dollars in 2025, with credit card balances over 1.2 trillion, increasing the pool of accounts that could enter collections.
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Higher interest rates, persistent inflation, and slower wage growth made it harder to keep up with payments, so delinquencies on cards and other consumer loans climbed, which naturally generates more collection efforts and calls.
2. More aggressive collection tactics
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As lenders faced more late and defaulted accounts, traditional collectors ramped up call activity to recover funds in a “shaky” economy.
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Nearly half of reported calls in 2025 were described as abusive, threatening, or harassing, about four times the volume seen a year earlier, suggesting some collectors are pushing or violating Fair Debt Collection Practices Act limits.
3. Growth in scams and “debt not owed”
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A large share of complaints involved attempts to collect debts that consumers said they did not owe, often tied to identity theft or misattributed accounts.
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Experts point to a “perfect storm” where scammers impersonate collectors, exploiting consumer stress and high debt levels, which adds a big layer of fraudulent calls on top of legitimate collection activity.
4. Better awareness and easier reporting
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Public education on filing complaints with the FTC and CFPB, plus simple online tools and interactive maps, made it easier for people to report harassing or suspicious calls.
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Analysts note that part of the spike likely reflects higher reporting rates on top of the real increase in both legitimate and scam collection calls, rather than a single cause.
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