Debt Collection Harassment Claim Value Calculator — US

It varies with the conduct. Under the FDCPA you can recover up to $1,000 in statutory damages per lawsuit, plus actual damages (emotional distress, lost wages) and attorney fees. A well-documented campaign with dozens of illegal calls, third-party disclosure, and threats commonly settles for several thousand dollars, sometimes more with strong distress evidence.

Harassment includes repeated or continuous calls intended to annoy, calls before 8am or after 9pm, threats of arrest or violence, obscene language, calling you at work after being told to stop, and disclosing your debt to employers, family, or neighbors. Any one of these can violate the FDCPA and add to your claim value.

Keep a dated log of every contact with the time, phone number, and a summary of what was said. Save voicemails and text screenshots. Note any third-party contacts and who heard the disclosure. Record calls where legal in your state. Written records and recordings dramatically increase the credibility and value of your claim.

Yes. Emotional distress is recoverable as actual damages under the FDCPA. You do not always need a medical diagnosis, but documentation helps: testimony about anxiety and sleep loss, notes to your doctor, and evidence of the campaign’s intensity all support a higher distress award on top of the statutory $1,000.