what is the fair debt collection practices act fdcpa 
the fair debt collection practices act fdcpa is a federal law that limits the actions of third party debt collectors who are attempting to collect debts on behalf of another person or entity the law restricts the ways that collectors can contact debtors as well as the time of day and number of times that contact can be made if the fdcpa is violated the debtor can sue the debt collection company as well as the individual debt collector for damages and attorney fees the consumer financial protection bureau s cfpb s debt collection rule clarifies the fdcpa s rules about how debt collectors can communicate with debtors 1