FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) Damages Calculator

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 USC 1692) limits abusive practices by third-party debt collectors. Statutory damages are capped at $1,000 per lawsuit but actual damages (emotional distress, lost wages, credit harm) are recoverable on top. Most importantly, §1692k(a)(3) makes attorney's fees mandatory for prevailing plaintiffs, which lets consumer lawyers take cases on contingency even when statutory damages are modest.

What FDCPA Prohibits

Common violations: calling before 8am or after 9pm without permission; contacting you at work after notice not to; using profanity or threats; misrepresenting the amount owed or legal consequences; calling third parties (family, employer) about your debt except to locate you; sending letters resembling legal documents; failing to send the required 30-day validation notice; continuing collection after written request to cease. Each separate violation supports an FDCPA claim, but statutory damages are capped per lawsuit not per violation.

Why FDCPA Cases Settle Easily

The mandatory attorney's fees provision tilts the economics — even a $1,500 actual damages case can generate $10,000-$25,000 in attorney's fees that the debt collector must pay. Defending an FDCPA case typically costs the collector $15,000-$50,000 in defense fees alone. Most collectors settle for $2,000-$8,000 within 60-90 days rather than litigate. Common documentation: call logs (phone records show times/frequency), recorded calls (legal in one-party-consent states), letters/voicemails, and screenshots of texts.

Last updated May 2026. Sources: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.