Is a debt collector calling you at work, leaving voicemails with your family, or telling you things that just don't sound right? If you live in Dallas or anywhere in Dallas County, you have rights under federal and Texas law. A collector can ask you to pay. It cannot bully, trick or shame you into paying.
Texas Debt Law helps people in the Dallas area push back against abusive collectors. Attorney Shawn Jaffer has handled thousands of debt collection lawsuits in Texas, and our office is just north of Dallas in Frisco. Your first case review is free.
What Collector Abuse Can Look Like in Dallas
Many people in Dallas commute long distances and work shifts, so a collector's calls often land at the worst times: during a shift, on a work phone, or while you are driving. Some patterns we hear about from people across North Texas:
- Calls that won't stop: the phone rings again and again, from different numbers, even after you ask them to stop.
- Calls to your boss, co-workers or relatives: a collector tells someone else that you owe money.
- Scare tactics: claims that you will be arrested, that a sheriff is on the way, or that you will lose your job.
- Wrong numbers on the bill: a balance that is higher than what you owe, or fees you never agreed to.
Any one of these may break the law. It does not matter whether you owe the debt. The rules are about how collectors behave.
Two Laws Protect Dallas Consumers
The federal FDCPA
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) covers third-party debt collectors and debt buyers. That includes companies like Midland Credit Management, Portfolio Recovery Associates and LVNV Funding, which buy old accounts and then try to collect them. The FDCPA bans harassment, false or misleading statements, unfair practices, and talking to other people about your debt.
The Texas Debt Collection Act
The FDCPA usually does not cover a bank collecting its own debt. That is where the Texas Debt Collection Act (Texas Finance Code chapter 392) helps. It also reaches original creditors, so if Capital One or Discover treats you unfairly while collecting its own account, Texas law may still give you a claim.
Where a Dallas FDCPA Case Is Filed
An FDCPA lawsuit for someone in Dallas County is usually filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. Claims under Texas law can also be brought in Texas state courts. We look at the facts of your case and talk with you about which path makes sense.
Start a Paper Trail Today
Good records make a strong claim. Starting now, save:
- A call log: the date, time, phone number and name of the caller for every call. A screenshot of your phone's call history works well.
- Voicemails: don't delete them. Save or forward them so they are not lost.
- Letters and envelopes: keep every letter, including the envelope with the postmark.
- Texts and emails: screenshot them with the date showing.
- Names of witnesses: if a collector called your employer or a relative, write down who they spoke with and when.
What You May Be Able to Recover
Under the FDCPA, a court can award your actual damages (such as lost wages or the stress the collector caused), statutory damages of up to $1,000, and your attorney's fees and costs. Under the Texas Debt Collection Act, remedies include actual damages, an order to stop the conduct (injunctive relief), and attorney's fees. Every case is different, and no lawyer can promise a result, but the law gives you real tools.
Don't Wait: The One-Year Deadline
An FDCPA claim must be filed within one year from the violation. A call from last spring may already be close to that line. Texas-law claims have their own time limits too, so the safest move is to call us as soon as the abuse starts.
How Texas Debt Law Handles Your Claim
- Free review: you tell us what happened, and we tell you whether it looks like a violation.
- Evidence check: we go through your call log, letters and voicemails with you.
- Action: when the facts support it, we bring a claim against the collector and work to stop the contact.
- Resolution: many claims settle; if not, we take the case to court.
Learn more about our statewide FDCPA practice, or read our tips on how to negotiate with debt collectors.
Dallas FDCPA Questions
Do I have to come to an office in Dallas?
No. Our office is in Frisco, a short drive from Dallas, but most clients start with a phone call or text. We serve clients statewide.
The collector already sued me in Dallas County. What now?
Act fast. In justice court, your written answer is due by the end of the 14th day after you were served. In county or district court, it is due by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days have passed. If you miss it, the collector can ask for a default judgment. Our Dallas debt defense attorneys can defend the lawsuit and look for FDCPA problems at the same time.
Can I sue if I really do owe the money?
Yes. The FDCPA protects you from abusive conduct whether or not the debt is valid.
What if the collector also hurt my credit?
Wrong credit reporting falls under a different law, the FCRA. You can learn more at FCRA Attorneys.
Talk to a Dallas FDCPA Lawyer Today
You don't have to put up with harassment. Call or text (214) 945-0000, or fill out our free case evaluation. Se habla español.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Talk to a lawyer about your situation.
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General information, not legal advice for your case.