Here’s what you can do about harassing debt collector calls

(InvestigateTV) — Americans ended 2025 in a record amount of debt, according to the Federal Reserve. That means more cardholders are having a harder time paying it off.

Once a balance is at least 30 days past due, debt collectors can start calling. Complaints of threatening and harassing messages are on the rise.

Debt collector complaints skyrocket

In the first three quarters of 2024, the Federal Trade Commission received 44,459 reports about debt that wasn’t owed or abusive and threatening debt collection practices.

During the same time in 2025, that number jumped to 194,225, according to FTC data.

“A lot of consumers are getting collection calls these days,” said Jim Triggs, CEO of the nonprofit Money Management International, which helps people get out of debt. “90-day delinquencies on credit cards are up over 12% of the entire portfolio, which is astronomically high. We haven’t seen numbers like that since the Great Recession.”

Business owner faced increasing calls

Greg Lutz owns Murder Ink, a company that writes and performs murder mysteries. He poured everything into the business for years.

“I had about $60,000 in debt. Most of that on credit cards because you get the zero balance, and you transfer it to this one, and transfer it to that one. But then when the time’s up, boy it really raises the interest,” Lutz said. “And the principal, you don’t even know what the principal is anymore.”

The debt started to pile up during the pandemic when nobody was going to shows. Lutz spent more, working on new shows to get new revenue. Then the debt collectors started calling.

“They would threaten me, ‘We’re going to own Murder Ink, we’re going to own your house,’” Lutz said. “And then you can’t help it. There’s a little panic attack and you start thinking well maybe I should listen to them. They’re telling me I don’t have any other choices.”

Lutz said it was almost impossible to figure out which debt collectors were even legitimate.

“A lot of them were fraudulent. But you don’t know that when they call you,” he said.

He asked for help from Money Management International and got on a plan to pay off everything with reduced interest rates.

Know your rights

Triggs said it’s important to know your rights when it comes to debt collectors.

He said there are few things that you should know about debt collector calls.

They can’t call you at inconvenient times, especially before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m.

“They can’t threaten to put you in jail for not paying your debt or threaten you in general. They can’t harass you at work if you tell them not to call you at work,” Triggs said.

Before paying a debt collector, experts say you should verify the debt by asking for the company’s name, business address and contact information, as well as written verification of the debt itself.

“I’m not talking to you. I’m not going to engage in any kind of conversations with you until I can validate,” said Naomi Peden of Money Management International.

“They think that because the person is coming off aggressive, they feel threatened. They feel like I have to make the decision at this moment. And that’s just really not the case,” Peden said.

According to the FTC, people have been called about debts they did not have. After feeling the pressure to pay immediately, many end up paying money they don’t owe.