---
kind: "section"
citation: "12 C.F.R. § 1006.14"
title: "12"
number: "1006.14"
heading: "Harassing, oppressive, or abusive conduct."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/12/1006.14"
---

# §1006.14. Harassing, oppressive, or abusive conduct.

- (a) **In general.** A debt collector must not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt, including, but not limited to, the conduct described in [paragraphs (b) through (h)](#b..h) of this section.
- (b) **Repeated or continuous telephone calls or telephone conversations—**
  - (1) **In general.** In connection with the collection of a debt, a debt collector must not place telephone calls or engage any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.
  - (2) **Telephone call frequencies; presumptions of compliance and violation.**
    - (i) Subject to the exclusions in [paragraph (b)(3)](#b-3) of this section, a debt collector is presumed to comply with [paragraph (b)(1)](#b-1) of this section and FDCPA [section 806(5)](/cfr/12/806.md?p=5) ([15 U.S.C. 1692d(5)](/usc/15/1692d.md?p=5)) if the debt collector places a telephone call to a particular person in connection with the collection of a particular debt neither:
      - (A) More than seven times within seven consecutive days; nor
      - (B) Within a period of seven consecutive days after having had a telephone conversation with the person in connection with the collection of such debt. The date of the telephone conversation is the first day of the seven-consecutive-day period.
    - (ii) Subject to the exclusions in [paragraph (b)(3)](#b-3) of this section, a debt collector is presumed to violate [paragraph (b)(1)](#b-1) of this section and FDCPA [section 806(5)](/cfr/12/806.md?p=5) if the debt collector places a telephone call to a particular person in connection with the collection of a particular debt in excess of either of the telephone call frequencies described in [paragraph (b)(2)(i)](#b-2-i) of this section.
  - (3) **Certain telephone calls excluded from the telephone call frequencies.** Telephone calls placed to a person do not count toward the telephone call frequencies described in [paragraph (b)(2)(i)](#b-2-i) of this section if they are:
    - (i) Placed with such person's prior consent given directly to the debt collector and within a period no longer than seven consecutive days after receiving the prior consent, with the date the debt collector receives prior consent counting as the first day of the seven-consecutive-day period;
    - (ii) Not connected to the dialed number; or
    - (iii) Placed to the persons described in [§ 1006.6(d)(1)(ii) through (vi)](/cfr/12/1006.6.md?p=d-1-ii..d-1-vi).
  - (4) **Definition.** For purposes of this [paragraph (b)](#b), particular debt means each of a consumer's debts in collection. However, in the case of student loan debts, the term particular debt means all student loan debts that a consumer owes or allegedly owes that were serviced under a single account number at the time the debts were obtained by a debt collector.
- (c) **Violence or other criminal means.** In connection with the collection of a debt, a debt collector must not use or threaten to use violence or other criminal means to harm the physical person, reputation, or property of any person.
- (d) **Obscene or profane language.** In connection with the collection of a debt, a debt collector must not use obscene or profane language, or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader.
- (e) **Debtor's list.** In connection with the collection of a debt, a debt collector must not publish a list of consumers who allegedly refuse to pay debts, except to a consumer reporting agency or to persons meeting the requirements of sections 603(f) or 604(a)(3) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. [1681a(f)](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=f) or [1681b(a)(3)](/usc/15/1681b.md?p=a-3)).
- (f) **Coercive advertisements.** In connection with the collection of a debt, a debt collector must not advertise for sale any debt to coerce payment of the debt.
- (g) **Meaningful disclosure of identity.** In connection with the collection of a debt, a debt collector must not place telephone calls without meaningfully disclosing the caller's identity, except as provided in [§ 1006.10](/cfr/12/1006.10.md).
- (h) **Prohibited communication media—**
  - (1) **In general.** In connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector must not communicate or attempt to communicate with a person through a medium of communication if the person has requested that the debt collector not use that medium to communicate with the person.
  - (2) **Exceptions.** Notwithstanding the prohibition in [paragraph (h)(1)](#h-1) of this section:
    - (i) If a person opts out of receiving electronic communications from a debt collector, a debt collector may send an electronic confirmation of the person's request to opt out, provided that the electronic confirmation contains no information other than a statement confirming the person's request and that the debt collector will honor it;
    - (ii) If a person initiates contact with a debt collector using a medium of communication that the person previously requested the debt collector not use, the debt collector may respond once through the same medium of communication used by the person; or
    - (iii) If otherwise required by applicable law, a debt collector may communicate or attempt to communicate with a person in connection with the collection of any debt through a medium of communication that the person has requested the debt collector not use to communicate with the person.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 12 U.S.C. 5512, 5514(b), 5532; 15 U.S.C. 1692 l (d), 1692o, 7004.

### Source

Source: 85 FR 76887, Nov. 30, 2020, unless otherwise noted.