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🇦🇺🇺🇸 Australia & USHow often can a debt collector actually contact me?
Debt collectors count on most people not knowing exactly where the line is. In Australia, the ACCC and ASIC jointly publish a guideline capping contact at roughly 3 calls a week or 10 a month, with defined hours. In the United States, federal law under Regulation F goes further: a collector calling more than 7 times in 7 days about one debt is presumed to be breaking the law outright.
This tool asks what actually happened, tells you whether it crosses the line in your country, and gives you the exact rule to put in writing.
Debt collection law varies by country and, in the US, sometimes by state on top of the federal floor. This tool covers the federal/national rule; state-level protections can be stronger.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Australian debt collection guideline actually law?
It is a joint ACCC/ASIC guideline, not a standalone statute — but it reflects what regulators consider unconscionable or harassing conduct under the Australian Consumer Law and the ASIC Act, so a collector who ignores it repeatedly is exposed under those broader laws, not just embarrassed.
What is the "7-in-7" rule in the US?
Under Regulation F (which implements the FDCPA), a debt collector is presumed to violate the law if it places a call about a particular debt more than 7 times within 7 consecutive days, or calls again within 7 days after actually speaking with you about that debt.
Can I just tell a debt collector to stop contacting me?
In the US, yes — a written cease-contact request is a specific right under the FDCPA, and after receiving it a collector can generally only contact you once more, to confirm they will stop or to notify you of a specific further step like a lawsuit. In Australia there is no identical statutory right, but persistent contact after you have asked them to stop is exactly the kind of thing the ACCC/ASIC guideline and undue-harassment protections are meant to prevent.
Does this apply to text messages and emails, not just calls?
Broadly yes — both the Australian guideline and US federal rules treat excessive or badly timed contact by any channel (calls, texts, social media messages) as capable of amounting to harassment, though the specific numeric limits above were written with phone calls in mind.
What if the debt isn’t actually mine?
In the US, dispute it in writing within 30 days of first contact and the collector must pause collection until they verify it. In Australia, ask the collector in writing to confirm the debt details and the original creditor before engaging further — you are not required to pay, or even respond substantively, until they can show the debt is genuinely yours.
Should I keep records?
Yes — dates, times, and what was said for every contact. This is what turns "they call too much" into a provable pattern, whether you are relying on the Australian guideline or the US 7-in-7 rule.
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screwtheman.com is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This tool gives general information on consumer rights and dispute pathways based on public guidance. For complex legal matters, consult a qualified lawyer or the relevant regulator.