Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) –
Comprehensive Study Guide
1. Which of the following is the correct response to consumer written requests that they not be
contacted again by debt collectors?
A. Collectors may send final demand letters.
B. Collectors may send letters explaining that defaulted obligations are being turned over to
attorneys for legal action.
C. Collectors may call and ask for verification of requests to cease communications.
D. Collectors may send letters that remind debtors of their legal obligations under the credit
contracts. - correct answer ✔✔ B. Collectors may send letters explaining that defaulted
obligations are being turned over to attorneys for legal action.
There are only three types of communication that may be sent to a consumer who has given a
written notice to a debt collector to cease communications: (1) that further collection efforts
will cease; (2) that the collector may invoke a specific remedy ordinarily invoked by that
collector; or (3) that the collector intends to invoke a specific remedy.
2. Which of the following actions is most likely to be prohibited under the Fair Debt Collection
Practices Act?
A. Pursuant to a corporate policy, individual collectors using an alias when contacting
consumers
B. Calling a consumer's neighbors to leave messages when the consumer has a telephone
C. Telling a consumer that a lawsuit would cause the consumer inconvenience and
embarrassment
D. Referring to the fact that a consumer could be subjected to criminal prosecution for issuing
bad checks - correct answer ✔✔ B. Calling a consumer's neighbors to leave messages when the
consumer has a telephone
, A collector cannot make unnecessary calls to third parties. Calling a consumer's neighbor and
leaving messages when the consumer has a telephone is considered to be harassment.
Although a collector may not fail to meaningfully disclose his or her identity, the use of personal
aliases as a corporate policy is acceptable provided the collector is not using a false name for
the business. Also, stating that a lawsuit will cause embarrassment and inconvenience is not
false or misleading. Properly making a reference to criminal prosecution of issuing a bad check
is also not abusive provided the offense is one that can be subject to such prosecution.
3. Which of the following communications would NOT be considered a deceptive
communication under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?
A. Reporting a disputed debt to a credit bureau without reporting it as disputed
B. Giving the consumer a disclosure that this is an attempt to collect a debt and any information
used will be used for that purpose
C. Sending the consumer a letter that appears to be a telegram from a debt collection service
regarding his or her thirty-day-past-due account tha - correct answer ✔✔ B. Giving the
consumer a disclosure that this is an attempt to collect a debt and any information used will be
used for that purpose
A collector must send notice that a debt is disputed at the time of the report. The collector must
disclose in the first communication that the debt collector is trying to collect a debt. Using
communication formats that misrepresent the nature of the message or convey a false sense of
urgency is an abusive practice. Stating that certain remedies will be taken when there is no
present intention to do so is a violation of the act.
4. A collector for First Collection Company, located in Chicago, makes calls to consumers all over
the country. He is responsible for 50 past-due accounts. Each day he begins calling all his
accounts on a rotating basis. What time constraints should he follow?
A. He should not call consumers anywhere in the country before 8:00 a.m. Chicago time.
B. He should not call any consumer before 8:00 a.m. at the consumer's location.
C. He should not call any consumer before 9:00 a.m. at the consumer's - correct answer ✔✔ B.
He should not call any consumer before 8:00 a.m. at the consumer's location.
Comprehensive Study Guide
1. Which of the following is the correct response to consumer written requests that they not be
contacted again by debt collectors?
A. Collectors may send final demand letters.
B. Collectors may send letters explaining that defaulted obligations are being turned over to
attorneys for legal action.
C. Collectors may call and ask for verification of requests to cease communications.
D. Collectors may send letters that remind debtors of their legal obligations under the credit
contracts. - correct answer ✔✔ B. Collectors may send letters explaining that defaulted
obligations are being turned over to attorneys for legal action.
There are only three types of communication that may be sent to a consumer who has given a
written notice to a debt collector to cease communications: (1) that further collection efforts
will cease; (2) that the collector may invoke a specific remedy ordinarily invoked by that
collector; or (3) that the collector intends to invoke a specific remedy.
2. Which of the following actions is most likely to be prohibited under the Fair Debt Collection
Practices Act?
A. Pursuant to a corporate policy, individual collectors using an alias when contacting
consumers
B. Calling a consumer's neighbors to leave messages when the consumer has a telephone
C. Telling a consumer that a lawsuit would cause the consumer inconvenience and
embarrassment
D. Referring to the fact that a consumer could be subjected to criminal prosecution for issuing
bad checks - correct answer ✔✔ B. Calling a consumer's neighbors to leave messages when the
consumer has a telephone
, A collector cannot make unnecessary calls to third parties. Calling a consumer's neighbor and
leaving messages when the consumer has a telephone is considered to be harassment.
Although a collector may not fail to meaningfully disclose his or her identity, the use of personal
aliases as a corporate policy is acceptable provided the collector is not using a false name for
the business. Also, stating that a lawsuit will cause embarrassment and inconvenience is not
false or misleading. Properly making a reference to criminal prosecution of issuing a bad check
is also not abusive provided the offense is one that can be subject to such prosecution.
3. Which of the following communications would NOT be considered a deceptive
communication under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?
A. Reporting a disputed debt to a credit bureau without reporting it as disputed
B. Giving the consumer a disclosure that this is an attempt to collect a debt and any information
used will be used for that purpose
C. Sending the consumer a letter that appears to be a telegram from a debt collection service
regarding his or her thirty-day-past-due account tha - correct answer ✔✔ B. Giving the
consumer a disclosure that this is an attempt to collect a debt and any information used will be
used for that purpose
A collector must send notice that a debt is disputed at the time of the report. The collector must
disclose in the first communication that the debt collector is trying to collect a debt. Using
communication formats that misrepresent the nature of the message or convey a false sense of
urgency is an abusive practice. Stating that certain remedies will be taken when there is no
present intention to do so is a violation of the act.
4. A collector for First Collection Company, located in Chicago, makes calls to consumers all over
the country. He is responsible for 50 past-due accounts. Each day he begins calling all his
accounts on a rotating basis. What time constraints should he follow?
A. He should not call consumers anywhere in the country before 8:00 a.m. Chicago time.
B. He should not call any consumer before 8:00 a.m. at the consumer's location.
C. He should not call any consumer before 9:00 a.m. at the consumer's - correct answer ✔✔ B.
He should not call any consumer before 8:00 a.m. at the consumer's location.
