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If a debt collector is calling at all hours, threatening you, or saying things that don’t add up — they may be breaking the law. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Texas Debt Collection Act (TDCA), you have the right to make it stop. You can even sue them and collect damages.
At Texas Debt Defense, we represent Houston, Dallas, Austin, and statewide Texas consumers against harassing creditors and debt collectors. Our attorneys stop the calls, stop the threats, and when collectors cross the line — we take them to court.
Creditor harassment is any collection tactic that violates federal or Texas law. The FDCPA defines specific conduct that is illegal — and most debt collectors violate it regularly, either out of ignorance or because they are betting you do not know your rights.
Common illegal debt collection tactics include:
If any of these have happened to you, a debt collector may have violated federal law. That violation has monetary value — and you may be entitled to sue them for it.
Two laws protect Texas consumers from abusive debt collection practices:
A federal law that applies to third-party debt collectors — collection agencies, debt buyers, and attorneys collecting debts. The FDCPA gives you the right to:
Texas law extends protection beyond the FDCPA and applies to original creditors as well as third-party collectors. Under the TDCA, you can sue for additional damages including:
Texas courts take debt collector abuse seriously. If a collector violated the law, you have a real case — and we handle it on contingency, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover for you.
You do not have to keep taking abusive calls. Here is what you can do right now:
Most consumers do not know that when a debt collector violates the FDCPA, they can be sued in federal court. Damages available include:
Under the TDCA, Texas courts can also award mental anguish damages for the emotional toll of abusive collection tactics. Collectors who knowingly violated the law face additional punitive awards.
We handle FDCPA and TDCA cases on contingency. You do not pay us anything unless we recover money for you.
Texas Debt Defense has handled creditor harassment cases against all major types of debt collectors:
We represent consumers throughout the state of Texas, including:
If debt collectors are making your life miserable, call us at 832-501-0966 or use the form below. The harassment stops when you call us.
Yes, but only until you tell them to stop. Once you notify a debt collector — verbally or in writing — that your employer does not permit such calls or that you cannot receive calls at work, continued contact is a federal law violation under the FDCPA. Document your notification and call us if they continue.
No. Threatening arrest for an unpaid consumer debt is an illegal threat under the FDCPA. You cannot be arrested in Texas for failing to pay a credit card, medical bill, or personal loan. If a collector threatened you with arrest, they violated federal law and you may be entitled to sue them for $1,000 in statutory damages plus actual damages.
Once a collector receives your written cease-and-desist, they may only contact you to confirm no further contact or to notify you of a specific action they intend to take (like filing a lawsuit). Any contact beyond that is a violation. Important: a cease-and-desist stops the calls but does not make the debt disappear. If they plan to sue, they still can — so contact us to evaluate your full situation before sending one.
Under recent FTC guidance, repeated calls (more than 7 times in 7 days) to a consumer about a specific debt creates a presumption of harassment. Even a single call using abusive language or false threats violates the FDCPA regardless of frequency. If you are receiving multiple calls daily, document them and call us — that pattern is textbook harassment.
Yes. If a collector violated the FDCPA or Texas Debt Collection Act, you can sue them in federal or state court. Damages include up to $1,000 in statutory damages, actual damages (lost wages, medical bills, emotional distress), and attorney fees paid by the collector if you win. We handle these cases on contingency — you pay nothing unless we recover.
You have one year from the date of the FDCPA violation to file a lawsuit. Do not wait. If a collector harassed you recently, call us now so we can evaluate the violation and determine whether you have a viable claim before the window closes.
Yes — immediately. Once a collector knows you are represented by an attorney, federal law requires them to direct all communication to your attorney, not you. From the moment you retain Texas Debt Defense, we send notice to any collector contacting you. The calls stop and any contact they make after that notice is an additional FDCPA violation.
Absolutely. The FDCPA does not protect collectors from lawsuits just because the underlying debt is valid. Even if you legitimately owe the debt, collectors must follow the law in how they collect it. Illegal threats, abusive language, deceptive practices, and improper contact are violations regardless of whether the debt is real. Owing money does not give collectors the right to break the law.
Learn more about your rights and how we can help with specific harassment situations:
About the Author: Finis E. Cowan III is the managing attorney of Texas Debt Defense. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, holds an LL.M. and CPA credentials, and has practiced consumer debt defense in Texas for over 30 years. Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rated 5.0. Member, State Bar of Texas and National Association of Consumer Advocates.
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