Debt Validation Notice

Debt validation notice summary:

• A debt collector is required to send you a written notice with details about the debt you owe.

• You have the right to dispute mistakes in a debt validation notice. 

• If you don’t receive a debt validation notice, you have the right to request it from the debt collector. 

Debt validation notice definition and meaning

A debt validation notice is a letter from a debt collector providing the details of a debt (or debts) they are trying to collect. If those details are correct, you can be confident the debt is yours.

Key concept:

A debt validation notice contains detailed information about a debt you may owe. You have the right to dispute any mistakes contained within the notice.

More about debt validation notices

A debt validation notice is designed to put you and a debt collector on the same page. The collector provides you with details of any debt they believe you owe. You check those details against what you know about the debt. Then, you either:

• Accept that the information provided by the debt collector is correct, or

• Dispute the findings

The purpose of sending a debt validation notice is to protect you from being pressured into paying debts that are uncollectible for some reason. 

Debt validation notice: a comprehensive breakdown 

Sometimes, a debt collector sends the notice as its initial communication with you. If a debt collector doesn't send a notice when they first contact you, they must provide one within five days of that first communication. The notice can be sent via either email or snail mail. 

If you don’t receive it, you can send the debt collector a request to validate the debt. This letter is sometimes called a debt validation letter.

The FDCPA is very clear regarding what a debt validation notice should include. Here's what you can expect to find:

• A statement of who's sending the notice

• Your name and mailing address 

• The name and mailing address of the collection agency

• The name of the creditor, or creditors, you owe money to

• The account number(s) associated with the debt

• The current amount owed, including detailed itemization of interest, fees, payments, and credits

When you receive a validation notice, it includes information you could use to respond to the letter. You have 30 days to dispute any errors once you receive the notice. You have the right to dispute any detail, no matter how small.  

In a nutshell, here are the two types of message between you and a debt collector.

• Debt validation notice contains information that a debt collector sends you

• Debt validation letter is a written request from you to a debt collector asking for more information. This request may also be called a debt verification letter. 

It doesn’t matter if you or someone else uses these labels interchangeably. It’s more important to focus on your rights and what to do next.

You have the right to request a debt validation notice

Unfortunately, it's not unusual for a debt collection agency or scammer posing as a debt collector to try to collect a debt you've already paid or a debt they don’t have the right to collect. When someone says they're a debt collector, you can ask for a detailed debt verification notification. 

Once a debt validation notice arrives, review it line by line. If you fail to respond to the letter within 30 days, the debt collector can assume the debt is legitimate.