Should I share personal information with a debt collector? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2024)

Don’t provide personal or sensitive financial information

Never give out or confirm personal or sensitive financial information – such as your bank account, credit card, or full Social Security number – unless you know the company or person you are talking with is a real debt collector.

If the debt collector is a scam, they could use this information to:

• Charge your existing credit cards
• Open new credit card or checking accounts
• Write fraudulent checks
• Take out loans in your name

Contact your creditor

If the debt is legitimate – but you think the collector may not be – contact your creditor about the calls. Share the information you have about the suspicious calls and find out who, if anyone, the creditor has authorized to collect the debt.

• Report the call. Submit a complaint with the CFPB or get in touch with your state Attorney General's office with information about suspicious callers.
• Stop speaking with the caller. If nothing else works and you believe the calls are fraudulent, send a letter demanding that the caller stop contacting you, and keep a copy for your files.

Learn the warning signs of a debt collection scam

If you're having trouble with a debt collector, you can submit a complaint with the CFPB.