What is Debt Validation?
The right to request validation of the debt is provided by the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The law was enacted to allow consumers to obtain more information about the debt that is being collected and to act as an informal dispute resolution system between consumers and their collectors.
There are many instances when you may want to request validation of the debt.
You do not recognize or remember incurring the debt being collected.
You feel that the amount of the debt may not be correct. For example, you feel you have previously paid all or part of the debt or that there are incorrect charges added to the debt.
There is a possibility the debt may be uncollectable because it is old.
The debt may not be yours at all. For example, a spouse or an adult child signed the paperwork instead of you.
You want to verify that the collector actually owns the debt it is trying to collect.
A debt collector only has to provide basic information about your debt in verifying it. It is not required to specifically address any particular reason you may have for wanting verification of the debt.