Utah consumers are protected by a mix of federal and state law, including:

• The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) – a federal law that sets nationwide rules for third-party debt collectors.
• The Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act (UCSPA) – Utah’s law against unfair or deceptive consumer practices.
• Utah’s debt-collection licensing and conduct requirements for collection agencies.

Together, these rules limit how and when collectors can call, what they can say, who they can talk to about your debts, and what proof they must provide. Collectors who break these rules risk lawsuits, damages, and regulatory penalties.

Harassment means using pressure, shame, or fear to force payment. Under the FDCPA and Utah law, collectors cannot engage in conduct that is intended to annoy, abuse, or harass you.

Examples of harassment include:

• Calling repeatedly in a short period, especially back-to-back calls.
• Using profanity, insults, or abusive language on the phone or in messages.
• Continuing to call after you clearly ask them to stop.
• Calling your workplace when you or your employer has told them not to.
• Threatening harm, arrest, or criminal charges for ordinary consumer debt.

If the collector’s goal is to wear you down or scare you rather than provide information and discuss payment options, that behavior is likely harassment under federal law.

Even if a collector’s tone is polite, there are strict limits on when and how often they can contact you.

Key timing rules include:

• No calls at inconvenient times. Collectors generally cannot call before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. local time.
• No repeated calls intended to harass. The law looks at patterns. Multiple calls in the same day, or many unanswered calls in a row, can cross the line into illegal conduct.
• Workplace calls are limited. If your employer does not allow personal calls at work or if you tell the collector not to contact you at work they must stop calling your job.
• Voicemails and messages must protect your privacy. Collectors should not leave detailed messages that reveal your debt to anyone else who may hear them.

Utah follows these federal standards, so if a collector is calling at odd hours or constantly redialing, that is a red flag for harassment.

Collectors cannot lie, exaggerate, or threaten actions they do not intend or have no legal authority to take. They also cannot publicly shame you over debt.

Common illegal threats or misrepresentations include:

• Threatening jail or criminal charges for ordinary consumer debt.
• Threatening a lawsuit when they have no intention of filing one.
• Claiming they will garnish your wages or seize property without a court judgment that actually allows it.
• Pretending to be a government agency, law enforcement, or an attorney when they are not.
• Claiming you committed fraud or a crime just because you fell behind on payments.

Privacy violations are also illegal. Collectors generally cannot:

• Tell your friends, neighbors, or coworkers that you owe a debt.
• Post your name on a public “debtor list.”
• Discuss your debt with family members (other than limited exceptions such as a spouse).

If a collector is using scare tactics or talking about your debt with other people in your life, you may have strong grounds to complain or sue.

You do not have to accept a collector’s word that a debt is accurate and legally enforceable. Under the FDCPA, you usually have 30 days from the collector’s first written notice to request validation of the debt.

After you request verification, the collector must send written details, such as:

• The total amount of the debt.
• The name of the original creditor.
• A statement of your rights to dispute the debt.

Until they provide this validation, the collector must pause collection efforts. This includes pausing calls and attempts to collect. A clear, written validation request is one of the fastest ways to stop questionable collection activity.

If the calls are overwhelming, you can tell a collector to stop contacting you. The most effective way is to send a short, clear cease-communication letter.

After a collector receives your written request to stop contact:

• They may only contact you once more to confirm they will no longer contact you.
• They may also contact you to tell you about specific legal action they plan to take (for example, filing a lawsuit).
• They cannot continue routine phone calls, texts, or letters demanding payment.

You can also separately tell a collector not to contact you at work. If they keep calling your job after that, it is a strong sign of an FDCPA violation.

Remember: stopping contact does not erase the debt, but it does stop harassment and gives you breathing room to consider options, get advice, or negotiate on your own terms.