Your phone rings. You freeze. It’s them again.
Debt collectors call you at work. They call your family. They call at dinner time. It feels like harassment because it is harassment.
You have the power to make it stop immediately.
Under a federal law called the FDCPA, you can send a “Cease and Desist Letter.” Once a collector receives this letter, they are legally forbidden from contacting you again (with very few exceptions).
Use the free tool below to silence your phone and get your peace of mind back.
Option 1: The “Copy & Paste” Text Template
You don’t need a lawyer to write this. Just copy the text below into an email or Word doc. Fill in your details. We have included common reasons—delete the lines that don’t apply to you.
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Date]
VIA CERTIFIED MAIL RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
[Debt Collector’s Name]
[Debt Collector’s Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
RE: NOTICE TO CEASE AND DESIST COMMUNICATIONS
Account Number: [Insert Account Number]
Original Creditor: [Insert Original Creditor Name (Optional)]
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing regarding the debt you claim I owe. Pursuant to my rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c), I am hereby directing you to cease and desist all further communication with me regarding this account immediately.
You have contacted me inappropriately. Specifically:
- [ ] You are contacting me at my place of employment, and my employer prohibits such communications.
- [ ] You are contacting my family members or friends.
- [ ] You are calling at inconvenient times (before 8 AM or after 9 PM).
- [ ] This debt is not mine / is unverified.
- [ ] The Statute of Limitations on this debt has expired.
Under the law, once you receive this letter, you may only contact me one final time to confirm that you are stopping collection efforts, or to notify me of a specific legal action.
If you continue to call or write to me after receiving this letter, I will document every instance and file a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and my state Attorney General.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Option 2: Download the Universal PDF Template
Prefer a pre-formatted, professional document? Use our universal PDF template. It comes with legal formatting and clear checkboxes.
📄 Official Cease & Desist Template
Professional format. Includes legal citations. Check-box style for easy use.
- Tracking Number: The number
7023...shown in the PDF is just a sample. Please leave it blank when printing, and write in your actual tracking number after you mail it at the post office. - Checkboxes: You do NOT need to check every box. Only check the specific reasons that apply to your situation (e.g., if they are calling your work, check that box; leave the others blank).
⚠️ WARNING: Read Before You Send
Does this stop a lawsuit? NO.
A Cease and Desist letter only stops the phone calls. It does not make the debt disappear.
Sometimes, when collectors realize they can’t call you anymore, their only remaining option is to sue you in court.
If you have already received court papers (a “Summons”), this letter is USELESS. You must file a legal Answer immediately, or you will lose automatically.
Have you been sued? Click here to generate your Court Answer in minutes »
3 Rules for Sending This Letter
1. Keep a Copy
Before you seal the envelope, make a copy for yourself. If the collector violates the law and calls you again, you will need this copy as evidence in court.
2. Use “Certified Mail”
Do not just use a regular stamp. Go to the post office and ask for “Certified Mail with Return Receipt.”
- This proves exactly when they received your letter.
- Once they sign for it, any call they make to you afterwards is illegal (and worth up to $1,000 per violation).
3. Exceptions to the Rule
Even after you send this letter, the law allows them to contact you one more time to say:
- “We are stopping collection efforts.”
- “We intend to invoke a specific remedy” (which usually means “We are suing you”).
If the response is a lawsuit, we are here to help.