California Debt Collection Harassment

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, CA ZIP] [Date] [Collection Agency Name] [Collection Agency Address] [City, State ZIP] Via Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested [Tracking Number: ________________] Re: Cease All Communications Account Reference: [Their Reference Number] Creditor Name: [Original Creditor if known] Alleged Debt Amount: $[Amount they claim] To Whom It May Concern: This letter is formal notice pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692c) and the California Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (California Civil Code 1788.17) to CEASE ALL COMMUNICATIONS with me regarding the above-referenced account. CEASE ALL COMMUNICATIONS Pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c), I am demanding that you cease all communications with me regarding this alleged debt. Under law, you may only contact me to: 1. Advise that your collection efforts are being terminated; 2. Notify me that you may invoke specified remedies (such as filing a lawsuit); or 3. Notify me that you are invoking a specific remedy. Any other communication following receipt of this letter will constitute a violation of federal and California law and will be documented for use in legal proceedings. DEBT VALIDATION DEMAND [Include this section if within 30 days of their first contact:] I am also exercising my right under 15 U.S.C. 1692g to dispute this debt and demand validation. Please provide: 1. Proof that you own or are authorized to collect this debt; 2. The original signed contract or agreement creating the debt; 3. A complete payment history from the original creditor; 4. Documentation of how the amount claimed was calculated; 5. Proof that the statute of limitations has not expired. Until you provide proper validation, you must cease all collection activity on this account. CEASE CONTACT AT EMPLOYMENT [Include if they've called your work:] You have contacted me at my place of employment. I am formally notifying you that my employer prohibits such communications. Any further contact at my workplace will constitute a knowing violation of 15 U.S.C. 1692c(a)(3). DOCUMENTATION OF VIOLATIONS [Include if they've already violated the law:] I have documented the following violations of federal and California law: - [Date]: [Description of violation, e.g., "Called at 7:15am before permitted hours"] - [Date]: [Description of violation, e.g., "Threatened arrest if I didn't pay immediately"] - [Date]: [Description of violation, e.g., "Discussed debt with my mother"] I am preserving evidence of these violations and reserve the right to pursue legal action under the FDCPA and Rosenthal Act, including statutory damages of up to $1,000 per case, actual damages, and attorney fees. TIME-BARRED DEBT NOTICE If this debt is beyond California's 4-year statute of limitations, I am aware that: - You cannot sue me to collect this debt; - Making a payment could restart the statute of limitations; - I am not required to make any payment on time-barred debt. If this debt IS time-barred, your failure to disclose this fact in your communications may constitute an additional violation. PRESERVE ALL RECORDS You are hereby notified to preserve all records related to this account and your communications with me, including but not limited to: call recordings, call logs, correspondence, account notes, and any debt purchase documentation. Destruction of these records may constitute spoliation of evidence. CONFIRMATION REQUESTED Please confirm in writing within 10 days that you have received this letter and will honor my cease communication request. This letter is not an acknowledgment of any debt, and I expressly dispute the validity and amount of any debt you claim I owe. Sincerely, [Your Signature] [Your Printed Name] cc: [Your attorney, if applicable] [California Attorney General Consumer Protection]