FDCPA Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield FDCPA facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What happens if a consumer's attorney is known to the debt collector? → The collector must communicate with the attorney, not the consumer
2. How many times may a debt collector contact a single third party to obtain location information about a consumer? → Only once, unless the third party has additional relevant information
3. The FDCPA mini-Miranda disclosure is required in which types of communications with consumers? → Both oral and written communications
4. Under the FDCPA, actual damages can include which of the following? → Out-of-pocket losses and emotional distress
5. The FTC historically enforced the FDCPA. After the Dodd-Frank Act, what role does the FTC play? → The FTC retains enforcement authority but shares it with the CFPB
6. A student loan servicer services federal student loans that were never in default. Is the servicer a debt collector under the FDCPA? → No, servicers who acquire non-defaulted loans are not debt collectors
7. Can a debt collector be held liable for an FDCPA violation even if it did not know its conduct violated the law? → Yes, FDCPA liability is generally strict for most violations
8. Under the FDCPA, 'location information' is defined as the consumer's: → Home address, home telephone number, and place of employment
9. A plumber claims a homeowner owes $2,000 for repairs. The plumber hires a collection agency. Who is the 'debt collector' under the FDCPA? → The collection agency, because it collects debts owed to another
10. Under the FDCPA, when is a debt collector prohibited from contacting a consumer? → Before 8 AM and after 9 PM in the consumer’s time zone
11. A debt collector collects debts incurred for business purposes. Which law is most likely to apply instead of the FDCPA? → State commercial debt collection laws or the UCC
12. Which of the following third-party contacts is generally PERMITTED under the FDCPA? → Contacting the consumer's attorney if the consumer has legal representation
13. What name may a debt collector use when identifying themselves to a third party? → Their individual name or the collector's true business name
14. Can a debt collector send a consumer an email about a debt? → Yes, subject to Regulation F requirements including opt-out mechanisms
15. Which best describes what the FDCPA validation notice must state regarding the assumption of debt validity? → That if not disputed within 30 days, the debt collector will assume the debt is valid
16. After winning an FDCPA case, the consumer's attorney requests $20,000 in fees for 40 hours of work. The court may award: → Reasonable fees based on the lodestar method (hours × reasonable hourly rate)
17. A mortgage servicer begins servicing a loan that was already in default when the servicer acquired it. Is the servicer a debt collector? → Yes, servicers who acquire defaulted loans are treated as debt collectors
18. Under the FDCPA, debt collectors are prohibited from using which of the following practices? → Using threats of violence or harm.
19. In a class action FDCPA lawsuit, what is the maximum statutory damages award? → $500,000 or 1% of the collector's net worth, whichever is less
20. Under Regulation F, a debt collector who contacts a consumer via social media must: → Allow the consumer to opt out and use a private message rather than a public post
21. Which of the following is NOT an affirmative defense available to a debt collector under the FDCPA? → The consumer's debt was legitimately owed
22. A debt collector calls a consumer's cell phone using an auto-dialer. Which federal law, in addition to the FDCPA, may apply? → Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
23. What happens to all collection activities after a consumer sends a timely written dispute within the 30-day period? → They must completely cease until verification is obtained and mailed to the consumer
24. Which of the following debts is NOT covered by the FDCPA? → A business owner's commercial line of credit used solely for business
25. Which of the following is NOT required to be included in the FDCPA written validation notice? → The consumer's current credit score
26. A collector actually files suit on a time-barred debt. Is this an FDCPA violation? → Yes, filing suit on a time-barred debt without disclosing this fact violates the FDCPA
27. What is the legal consequence if a debt collector's subsequent communication 'overshadows' the validation notice? → It constitutes a violation of the FDCPA
28. it is false and/or misleading to imply to a consumer that: → They may be arrested or imprisoned for nonpayment of a debt.
29. A collector obtains a default judgment against a consumer. May the collector immediately garnish the consumer's wages? → Only if the judgment is valid and garnishment is permitted by state law
30. Within how many days of the initial communication must a debt collector send a written validation notice if it was not included in the initial communication? → 5 days