Chrysler
reviews and complaints

On October 15, 2010, we finally decided, after nearly a month researching, to go to a local Jeep dealer and try to purchase a 2011 Grand Cherokee. We researched all the different models and options before we found the color and model with most of the options that we wanted (Inferno Red – Dark Leather Interior – 18” Wheels - Tow Package Group IV - V8 - Grand Cherokee Laredo) at Cortese Chrysler Jeep Dodge. We used www.jeep.com to search new inventory in our area and I found the Jeep above at Cortese. The website was helpful in that it listed the options and accessories of all the Grand Cherokees as well as the price. For the above Jeep the price was $40, 605 (w/ destination charge included in the price). We looked over our finances and determined that with some negotiation, we could afford to buy this Jeep or something similarly priced. We had a 2009 Mini Cooper S that we wanted to trade in and $10K in cash to use for a down payment. We never thought that we would experience such problems with a new car dealership we encountered at the Cortese Auto Group.
We saw the Grand Cherokee that was on-line in their lot and proceeded to look it over. The sticker on the vehicle showed all the options and the price was $40, 605 (same as on-line). We test drove the Grand Cherokee with a newly trained sales person, Joshua, who seemed nice enough, but clearly hadn’t yet learned all the features and functions of the Jeep. After driving the vehicle we were very impressed. Our next step was to go inside the dealership and try to negotiate a deal on the Jeep.

We filled out some details about our trade in, a 2009 Mini Cooper S w/ all the” bells and whistles”, with a documented pay off value of $18, 179.71. This was directly from the bank and below the official blue book trade-in value for our Mini. They agreed to give us $20K trade in for the Mini and to sell us the Grand Cherokee for $40K (less the ~$1800 remaining on trade in). We agreed with this and proceeded to fill out the preliminary paperwork. Upon going over the numbers, it was noticed that the original price of the Grand Cherokee was $41, 604. This was in conflict with the sticker price on the Jeep as well as the price on-line. We brought this to the attention to the sales person thinking that they made a mistake. I showed the sales person the price off www.jeep.com as well as the sticker on the vehicle. He could not explain this inconsistency and left us to talk to his boss. He came back with his boss and told us that the extra $999 was for a dealer addendum which included a clear coat protection for the fenders and windshield treatment similar to RainX. We were told that every car on their lot has this addendum. (Side note: At a later date, we looked at their website and there was no mention of this addendum anywhere.) We were told that there was suppose to be an addendum sticker next to the factory sticker with Cortese’s price. Funny thing is… There was no addendum sticker on any of the 2011 Grand Cherokees in their lot. They proceeded to blame the “Stupid lot boys” and told us “they should have put the stickers on” and that they have been screwing up a lot lately. We were even told they had to recently fire one. We then asked why the sales person didn’t tell us about the addendum up front. To us it seemed as though the dealership was being a bit dishonest. They said it was a mistake but were not making any money on the deal and they couldn’t do anything for us. Discussions became very heated and stressful. We finally got them to tell us that the addendum cost the dealership $150 to apply it to the vehicle. This is over a 600% markup. Does this seem honest? We realized that the dealer wouldn’t compensate us for their mistake (except 2 free oil changes), we conceded and agreed to purchase the vehicle at the before mentioned deal ($40k – Jeep, $20k – trade-in Mini).

We finished filling out the preliminary paperwork but were told that the dealership was encountering a large number of deliveries and were extremely busy. They took the Mini insurance cards, registration, etc… and asked if we could come back at around 5:30 – 6:00pm (they close at 6 on Fridays) to sign the papers and take it home. We originally arrived at the dealer at approximately 10:00am and were there until approx 3:30pm. We hadn’t eaten and had just been through a very stressful experience. We were happy to go and get something to eat and come back. We had been there way too long.

When we returned, our sales person, told us that he tried to call us and left a message on our cell phone saying that they were unable to get the paperwork completed before the bank, DMV, etc. closed. We didn’t hear the phone and therefore didn’t check the messages. Joshua then told us to take the car w/dealer plates and come back tomorrow (Saturday). Note: They never detailed the vehicle; they just quickly wiped the inside and we are not even sure if they washed it since it was raining.

We set up an appointment to return on Saturday at 10:00am to finish the paperwork. On Saturday, Joshua contacted us and asked if we could come in at 11:00am instead as they were again, really busy. We did that and arrived at 11:00am. We first brought it to the attention of the sales person that some scratches on the vehicle needed to be buffed out before we bought it. They agreed to take care of them (another day) so we scheduled the appointment for the following Friday. For our hassle, Joshua also agreed to give us roof racks for $209 (wholesale). The paperwork was ready and we finished filling out the paperwork that the sales person needed. We then proceeded to the finance office to finish the paperwork. At this point we purchased a 7yr, 60k mile extended warranty. We accepted the horrible sales experience and moved on. We were satisfied with how the finance process played out and were very happy with the new Grand Cherokee.

Friday 10/22/10: We still had to bring the car in for them to buff out the scratches (three different locations) and to look at the driver’s side mirror that was not affixed properly. The mirror piece was not seated into the frame due to the seal material being misaligned. They fixed the scratches but stated the mirror was defective due to the manufacturing mold for the mirror being out of spec. If they just order a new mirror it will also be defective. We must wait until Jeep fixes this problem and creates a new stamp (mold) for the mirror. I was then told there was no reason to place a warranty claim in. When I told my husband what Cortese had told me, the first question that he had was “Did you look at the other Grand Cherokees on the lot? They must all have defective mirrors too… sarcasm?” After he got home from work he proceeded to take the Jeep to Canandaigua Chrysler Dodge Jeep. They looked at it and said they would order the part, call us when it comes in and replace it with no problem. Really? So is Cortese just incompetent or are they intentionally dodging warranty work?

Just when we thought we had put these bad experiences behind us… On November 1, the dealer called to say we had given them the wrong payoff balance for the Mini and we owed them money for the difference. After investigating the situation more closely we found out that they in fact paid off the wrong car loan… (yes, that’s right). They paid off our Volkswagen Tiguan. That loan was at a completely different bank than the Mini and also had a different payoff value ($17, 081.17). At the time of sale we had given them the pay off value of $18, 158.74 for the Mini. They were now saying that we owed them the difference of $1077.57. Really? How does a dealer pay off a loan at ESL for a Volkswagen Tiguan when they received a Mini Cooper for trade and it was financed at Alliance? At first our sales person, Joshua, told me that it was my husbands fault. He said my husband told him the loan was at ESL and gave him the account number. This is a complete lie. My husband gave him no information and in fact didn’t know the account number. I gave him all the correct banking and account information for the Mini (including the correct payoff balance) at the time of sale. I tried to reach them, nothing short of 10 times in a matter of 2 hours. I was transferred to 3 or 4 people that couldn’t help. Finally I reached the General Manager, Joe Provvidenza, and made an appointment for the next morning at 11am to discuss this issue.

Tuesday, 11/02/10: Before my meeting with the Joe, I made some calls to ESL to find out how they could have made this error. ESL advised me that the loan had been paid off but then reversed, so it was ok now. More concerning than that was that they accessed the loan information, not with the account number but with my social security number. At no time did I ever give them my ESL account number and my SS# was to be used for a credit check. This is a complete misuse of the information and in fact resulted in them making a huge error. They not only accessed information I didn’t authorize, but they never checked the VIN# to see if it matched the car in their possession. ESL said they have never seen a dealer make such a huge error and ensured me that no other information about my accounts or status would be given to Cortese due to my complaint.
Once I arrived at my appointment, I was left in the lobby to stew for 30 minutes while every s
ales rep smiled and offered to find Joe for me. All came back empty handed and said, I’m sorry, he is meeting with “Mr. Cortese”…..again, not my concern! When I finally got into the office, Joe stated, there are 3 errors that happened.

1. Joshua didn’t accurately pass on the payoff details to the finance office resulting in the paperwork reflecting a value of $1077.57 less than what was actually owed.
2. They didn’t check the VIN# on the loan before paying it off.
3. You (yes me) signed the contracts with the inaccurate figures.

Joe then produced all the paperwork that showed I clearly gave Joshua the correct balance and bank details for the Mini. If Joshua had accurately passed them along, all would be fine. Since he didn’t and I signed the papers, I now owe them another $1077.57 (I tried to give them the Grand Cherokee back but of course they can’t take it back now)! Joe stated that he is under no obligation to take the vehicle back and that they are under no obligation to perform any checks and balances on any of the paperwork that their employees fill out. After 20 minutes of me reviewing the complete train wreck this whole deal was, he stated I would either pay it or be in breach of contract.

Well, I paid it. I then advised him I had already moved my service to another dealer. We had already had Canandaigua Jeep replace a defective part. The Cortese’s Body Shop / Kelly McManaman refused to fix this issue. I also told him I would do everything in my power to ensure that all the people in Rochester, in the market for a Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Lincoln, Ford, Mercury and Mitsubishi will know the truth about this dealer and find an alternative dealer to purchase from or get service.

I really didn’t have a good feeling about Cortese so I waited until the end of the week and contacted Alliance to see if the Mini loan had been paid. Well, it wasn’t (not shocked anymore). I called Joe and Joshua. Joshua assured me a payment had gone out “overnight” and they would receive it that day (Friday). The following week, on Monday, I contacted Alliance and they had not received the payment. At this point, the monthly payment was late (still in our name) and we were within the 10 day grace period. I again called Joe (who never called me back) and Joshua (now won’t call me back) and ended up getting Tony who promised to call me right back with an answer. He never did. I then resorted to calling the general Cortese operator and demanded to speak with the head of the Accounting Office.

These folks were nice, but stated they had sent the payment but weren’t told to send it overnight. I thought, well, at least Alliance will get it. I also questioned the payoff balance. It seemed that so much time had gone by that there is no way the payoff amount could be the same. She stated she sent the original amount but would call to get a new balance and send a second check. After a few days, the Cortese Accounting office called me to say they had sent the checks to the wrong address and wanted me to give them the correct address (why they didn’t actually call the bank, I will never know). It took more than another week for the payments to actually get there and be confirmed by the bank. I then left for a business trip and came home to a confirmation letter from the bank. The loan was finally satisfied (big sigh of relief…) and there was also an overpayment check of $3.67. At this point, all I could do was laugh at the complete incompetence of the entire Cortese organization.
After more than a full month, we finally have the sales deal sorted out but we had not yet received the permanent registration. Cortese assured us they had mailed it. After waiting 2 more weeks I called and demanded that they reissue the registration and to call us when they get it. We will pick it up, as our temporary registration was about to expired. About a week after I called, we finally got word they had the registration and we picked it up. Sale Complete! We love the Grand Cherokee but have to say that this was the worst car buying experience that we ever encountered.

Ok, deal is done after more than 6 weeks and while I can replay history in my head, I can’t change it. I can, however, do my best to ensure that all those in the greater Rochester area and those managing this experience will know how bad it was and do not repeat it.

I have a 2007 jeep compass It would not start it was towed into Tilbury chrysler and and I also asked them to check the tires because it didnt seem to drive smooth well they had to put a new front end in which cost $893.88 and clean thottle body witch cost 179.10 total bill $1215.86. Then 2wks later stuck on the side of road had to be towed in again they changed the body trottle this time which cost 666.77 my concern is this a manurfacter defect he said they never have to change the body trottle. And should the front end be worn out at 12000. km this car will not be paid for and it will be in the juck yard the way thinks are going I feel bad because this is the first new car I have had and I loved it when I got it.

Traded in a vehicle on 8/22/10...by law (California Car Buyer's Protection Act 11709.4) the dealership has 21 days to pay it off..they took 55! Even though we notified them NUMEROUS times of the situation and not only was NOTHING done- but no one ever returned any calls!..This caused me to have to make an additional payment on a car I was no longer in possession of so as to avoid a delinquent payment and lowered credit score...All the while the interest was accruing on the loan making the payoff higher than I had stated upon trade in (an amount which I verified with the bank to assure accuracy)..dealership refused to refund my $450! We have made MULTIPLE calls, and have not gotten a single call back (oh wait- I did get one call back from the finance manager basically telling me it's not his problem and passed it off to another finance man)... My husband had to go to the dealership in a rage and speak to MULTIPLE finance men and both owners-- the owner, Ed, finally gave us a check for the money owed-- AND IT BOUNCED! It came back stamped non sufficient funds! THIS coming from a PLACE OF BUSINESS! Simply unacceptable!

Plus- They were trying to sell a vehicle that was in MY NAME, being paid for BY ME- and they had it on their lot! Can you say ILLEGAL!?!?! When we told them this- all they could say was "yeah, yeah, we know..." WTH!? Then DO SOMETHING! They KNOWINGLY break the law at the customers expense! And when I say expense- I really DO mean 'expense' as it cost us money that they refuse to re-pay!

In addition, the car they sold us has been in the shop twice since we purchased it- both times for the same problem- the rear brakes..the second time we took it in my husband called at the end of the day and they told us the front brakes were fine-- it was there for the REAR BRAKES! They had it all day and weren't even looking at the right problem!

Even when we DID get the truck returned- it was never fixed properly...incompetent to say the least..

I would HIGHLY recommend that anyone looking for a vehicle shop elsewhere.. I have never experienced a higher degree of incompetence at a car dealership... If a customer notifies you of an ILLEGAL BUSINESS PRACTICE you are participating in-- FIX IT! Especially if it is as simple as someone just not doing their job and letting paperwork sit!

Dodge does not stand behind their products. I owned truck since it was new and within days of warranty expiring I have had numerous failures. Just to name a few- Rear differential blew apart at 150, 000 Kms cost 2000 plus to repair. both lower control arms broke at the front differential could not be repaired so had to replace complete differential at 165, 000 Kms cost over 2000 dollars. Two front fenders rusting out even though truck was under coated since new. Front wheel bearings replaced, numerous sway bars drag links etc replaced. Check engine light refuses to stay off 3 different dealers can't tell me why. To sum up I got a lemon and dodge doesn't even care! Ram tough I think not!

I have been servicing my car faithfully. I garage my car. I only drive 3 miles to work. New Jersey weather has not been that bad over the past 6 years. My local mechanic has said it is the worst rust and corrosion that he has seen to the subframe in over 20 years in business. When I brought it to Chrylser, their "certified" mechanic said it was "normal" weather corrosion. When I called Chrysler headquarters they said I should have brought it to a car wash every 2 weeks! If their mechanic said it is "normal" corrosion, then they will not reconsider fixing it.

Chrysler is a rip off. I bout my car in '05 in my grandmothers name, under the terms that after a yr of upstanding payments I could put the car in my name. I made all my payments when the time came to make changes they told me my credit was not good enough but they knew that, so here it is 2010 im still making payments $450 a month I wanted to refinance, they wont let us, im not building my credit, cant trade it in. This past august they pulled 2 payments out of my account over-drafting it. I realized the problem but the said they could not reverse the transaction once it was processed, mind u my payments are current. So all that was resolved was that they would apply the extra payment to the next months payment. Never mind the overdraft fees an penalties I had to cover for their mistake. I wish I had a warning before I did any business with this company.

My husband & I are really easy going people. So for us to leave this kind of review (which we've never done before) means that the customer service was bad enough that we actually took the effort to type this.

We bought a new Jeep Wrangler and accessories in cash for my husband . If we had known how much Jim Click Chrysler would dick us around, we would have never bought from them. I don't know if people that work there are just absolutely lazy & unorganized, but they made it seem like it was REALLY inconvenient to make a simple phone call to say "Hey, we need $5, 000 more to put on those tires". We had to keep calling so that we'd be informed on when the Jeep would be ready. Then they'd beat around the bush about what was going on. Our sales consultant Lenny would say one thing, then another the next time we called, then another the following week. Not to mention he would RARELY return phone calls. It took him 3 weeks to mail us a check-refund! We called last week about it & a manager said the check was ready to go... LAZY LENNY just hadn't dropped it in the mail. When we received it, it wasn't even the amount he had said we would be refunded for.

A few more of the MANY examples of their incompetence:

- We got a letter about a re-call part that needed to be replaced a few weeks ago. We called & made an appointment to have this replaced. When we arrived for the appointment, they told us they didn't actually have the part & they would need to order it, which would take 3-4 days to arrive. Uh... the whole point of making the appointment was to replace that specific part. They couldn't have ordered the part before the appointment? They had a whole week to either order the part or re-set the date of the appointment. Or even call to tell us they didn't have that part. So they said it would take another 3-4 days and they would call us when it arrived. 1 week later... we're still waiting on the call. I wouldn't be surprised if they hadn't ordered the part.

- They said they would take care of adjusting the speedometer because we had different tires replace the factory wheels. Nope didn't do that. We had to go back & make an appointment. Originally the had said the cost was on them. Nope, not the case either. They ended up charging us $100. Which would've been fine if they had originally said that but they didn't. Another example of how they'd say one thing then change their minds.

- They ordered the wrong wheels.

These are just a couple examples of their incompetence.

I've purchased cars at other dealerships & it was never that difficult. Paying in cash is supposed to be simple. Not at Jim Click. It's like pulling teeth when we have to deal with them.

I wrote a message to them about how bad their customer service has been & their response was:

"The other day I saw a bumper sticker; "Stupidity is not a crime so you're free to go."

That would be amusing... if it weren't coming from a "business". I thought businesses were supposed to act at least somewhat professional...

I'm purchasing a Wrangler for myself in another year... there is NO WAY I would ever make that purchase at Jim Click. I would rather drive the 2 hours to Phoenix for one there. You can also bet I'm going to be actively telling people & other review sites how horrible the customer service at this dealership is!

My 2009 Chrysler Sebring has been havig multiple power failures with the warning lights system. I bought it NEW august 2009. By 11, 000 miles the warning lights go off for no reason I loose power while driving, the starter has a mind of its own and cranks out of control for 60 seconds without starting the car! I have taken it to the Dealer who has worked on it 4 times this month and now took out the transmission to replace a faulty part. I just got it back last night and it is doing the SAME thing! Now it is a holiday weekend and When I called the dealer they are closed and Chysler said "oh well it is a holiday take it on TUESDAY it should be covered under warranty." I will never buy a SEBRING again and warn other to steer clear of the 2009 Sebring LEMON!

I have a 2004 chrysler pacifica with 50, 000 miles on it and i had it inspected last month 7/23/2010 and found that the front sub frame is rusted out and chrysler doesnt want to do anything about it. This is a crock of #$*?! This is a safety issue and it needs to be corrected. I have seen there is so many pacificas with this problem what is it going to take for them to fix it. Maybe accidents or even death this is pretty bad. Im not going to stop here because I have 5 children and this is not a safe car for them to be in.

While having a tire serviced at a shop, the mechanic pointed out large holes in the subframe of my 2004 Pacifica (90, 000 miles). All major service performed on my vehicle--including the week prior--has been done in a Chrysler dealership, not one word had been spoken of this problem and the potential safety hazard it poses by any Chrysler service technician or manager. Clearly the extent of the rust, holes and cracks were not overnight events. How does Chrysler justify such negligence!

2004 Chrysler Pacifica - 6 years old - 40, 000 miles, mint condition. Brought the vehicle in for its regularly scheduled oil change and the mechanic noticed that the subframe at the front right had rusted through (Chrysler had the car up for service in the spring to change the tires and did not notice anything). I was told that I can drive it for now but it probably won't be safe much longer. Brought it into Chrysler and they advised that its not covered by standard warranty, nor the extended 7 year bumper to bumper warranty that I purchased (expires next year), and that it will cost $3, 500 to repair.

Given that the car has been well maintained, and this is the only area under the car with significant rust (ex: I'm still on my original exhaust system and the car still looks new) I believe this is likely a manufacturing defect and should be covered by Chrysler. Has anyone had experience with this? Advice to share?

Went to get my 2004 Chrysler Pacifica inspected and was told it was "Unsafe to Drive" due to the front sub-frame being completly rusted through.
Have been told by Chrysler and Military Exchange New Car Sales that they won't cover repairs under the warranty since the car is almost 6 years old.
The inspector said he hasn't ever seen anything like it even on cars 30 years old! Already filed my complaint with NHTSA, everyone check your Chrysler Pacifica and do the same if you've got the problem.

Our Chrysler Town & Country was purchased on Dec.10, 2006; on the night we drove home, we found that all the gages & displays were not working. We took it back to have it looked at, but service department was closed. Since that day, we had over 5 incidents of the same issue occurred, and each time their service would provide us a rental car, and after testing a few hundred miles, they said that they cannot find the problem, all was fine, and they were not able to duplicate the incidence. Only when I presented them with a few video clips I took of this issue when they said that they will put in a brand new cluster dash board altogether. This is after almost 1.5 month of having this van, missing hours of work due to dropping this car to be looked at, and having to move the baby seats in and out of rental cars so that they may service the vehicle, and getting nowhere by talking to the owners Chris, Rob, their service manager(s), and countless sales managers did anything come out of this issue. My family and I are very hesitant to take this car back, and is very disappointing at our decision to purchase from this Chrysler and dealership.

I am writing you today because I am having a very difficult time finding someone who is willing to help me with my malfunctioning vehicle before it gets me killed. I have contacted Chrysler, Dodge and several lawyers and I still find myself at the end of a dead end street.

In 2007 I purchased a 2008 Dodge Avenger from Westside Dodge. I have had recall after recall and now the latest malfunction is going to get me killed.

I have been in contact and dealing with Chrysler and Dodge for the past several months trying to have the malfunction of my car fixed or replaced. I have delivered or had me my vehicle towed to the dealership on 5 different occasions for the same problem. I have had far too many close call car accidents because of this malfunction. While I am driving, on the interstate during rush hour traffic, traveling 60-70 mph the accelerator will automatically stop working. The gas pedal goes to the floor, revs up, but does not go anywhere. The car goes from 60-70 mph to 20-30mph in a matter of seconds. It is almost as if the car goes into neutral all by itself. After 10-15 seconds the accelerator will start working again and I can continue on my way to my destination. There are no warning signs to know it is coming and after the accelerator starts to work again there are no malfunction lights, such as a check engine light, that comes on to alert of a problem. The most recent time this happened was this morning...every week I have to take time off of my job to deal with getting a rental car and having my car towed back to the dealership.

The dealership and Chrysler continue to give me the run around by telling me that "they have had several reports of this around the world, we do not know what is causing it and we do not know how to fix it.” They are not willing to find a resolution other than "come get the car when it happens again just call us." In the mean time I am going to get into a serious accident and get hurt or possibly killed because they REFUSE to fix this car.

In the light of the most recent Toyota controversy, you would think Chrysler/Dodge would be a little more willing to take action and try to find a resolution to this malfunction before someone gets hurt, injured or killed.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

here is a link to the FTC everyone should file a complaint... and get something done about the ###...

Debt Collection FAQs: A Guide for Consumers
If you’re behind in paying your bills, or a creditor’s records mistakenly make it appear that you are, a debt collector may be contacting you.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices to collect from you.

Under the FDCPA, a debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis, and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them.

Here are some questions and answers about your rights under the Act.

What types of debts are covered?
The Act covers personal, family, and household debts, including money you owe on a personal credit card account, an auto loan, a medical bill, and your mortgage. The FDCPA doesn’t cover debts you incurred to run a business.

Can a debt collector contact me any time or any place?
No. A debt collector may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 in the morning or after 9 at night, unless you agree to it. And collectors may not contact you at work if they’re told (orally or in writing) that you’re not allowed to get calls there.

How can I stop a debt collector from contacting me?
If a collector contacts you about a debt, you may want to talk to them at least once to see if you can resolve the matter – even if you don’t think you owe the debt, can’t repay it immediately, or think that the collector is contacting you by mistake. If you decide after contacting the debt collector that you don’t want the collector to contact you again, tell the collector – in writing – to stop contacting you. Here’s how to do that:

Make a copy of your letter. Send the original by certified mail, and pay for a “return receipt” so you’ll be able to document what the collector received. Once the collector receives your letter, they may not contact you again, with two exceptions: a collector can contact you to tell you there will be no further contact or to let you know that they or the creditor intend to take a specific action, like filing a lawsuit. Sending such a letter to a debt collector you owe money to does not get rid of the debt, but it should stop the contact. The creditor or the debt collector still can sue you to collect the debt.

Can a debt collector contact anyone else about my debt?
If an attorney is representing you about the debt, the debt collector must contact the attorney, rather than you. If you don’t have an attorney, a collector may contact other people – but only to find out your address, your home phone number, and where you work. Collectors usually are prohibited from contacting third parties more than once. Other than to obtain this location information about you, a debt collector generally is not permitted to discuss your debt with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.

What does the debt collector have to tell me about the debt?
Every collector must send you a written “validation notice” telling you how much money you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice also must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, and how to proceed if you don’t think you owe the money.

Can a debt collector keep contacting me if I don’t think I owe any money?
If you send the debt collector a letter stating that you don’t owe any or all of the money, or asking for verification of the debt, that collector must stop contacting you. You have to send that letter within 30 days after you receive the validation notice. But a collector can begin contacting you again if it sends you written verification of the debt, like a copy of a bill for the amount you owe.

What practices are off limits for debt collectors?
Harassment. Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you or any third parties they contact. For example, they may not:

use threats of violence or harm;
publish a list of names of people who refuse to pay their debts (but they can give this information to the credit reporting companies);
use obscene or profane language; or
repeatedly use the phone to annoy someone.
False statements. Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. For example, they may not:

falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives;
falsely claim that you have committed a crime;
falsely represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company;
misrepresent the amount you owe;
indicate that papers they send you are legal forms if they aren’t; or
indicate that papers they send to you aren’t legal forms if they are.
Debt collectors also are prohibited from saying that:

you will be arrested if you don’t pay your debt;
they’ll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so; or
legal action will be taken against you, if doing so would be illegal or if they don’t intend to take the action.
Debt collectors may not:

give false credit information about you to anyone, including a credit reporting company;
send you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency if it isn’t; or
use a false company name.
Unfair practices. Debt collectors may not engage in unfair practices when they try to collect a debt. For example, they may not:

try to collect any interest, fee, or other charge on top of the amount you owe unless the contract that created your debt – or your state law – allows the charge;
deposit a post-dated check early;
take or threaten to take your property unless it can be done legally; or
contact you by postcard.
Can I control which debts my payments apply to?
Yes. If a debt collector is trying to collect more than one debt from you, the collector must apply any payment you make to the debt you select. Equally important, a debt collector may not apply a payment to a debt you don’t think you owe.

Can a debt collector garnish my bank account or my wages?
If you don’t pay a debt, a creditor or its debt collector generally can sue you to collect. If they win, the court will enter a judgment against you. The judgment states the amount of money you owe, and allows the creditor or collector to get a garnishment order against you, directing a third party, like your bank, to turn over funds from your account to pay the debt.

Wage garnishment happens when your employer withholds part of your compensation to pay your debts. Your wages usually can be garnished only as the result of a court order. Don’t ignore a lawsuit summons. If you do, you lose the opportunity to fight a wage garnishment.

Can federal benefits be garnished?
Many federal benefits are exempt from garnishment, including:

Social Security Benefits
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
Veterans’ Benefits
Civil Service and Federal Retirement and Disability Benefits
Service Members’ Pay
Military Annuities and Survivors’ Benefits
Student Assistance
Railroad Retirement Benefits
Merchant Seamen Wages
Longshoremen’s and Harbor Workers’ Death and Disability Benefits
Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Benefits
Compensation for Injury, Death, or Detention of Employees of U.S. Contractors Outside the U.S.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Disaster Assistance
But federal benefits may be garnished under certain circumstances, including to pay delinquent taxes, alimony, child support, or student loans.

Do I have any recourse if I think a debt collector has violated the law?
You have the right to sue a collector in a state or federal court within one year from the date the law was violated. If you win, the judge can require the collector to pay you for any damages you can prove you suffered because of the illegal collection practices, like lost wages and medical bills. The judge can require the debt collector to pay you up to $1, 000, even if you can’t prove that you suffered actual damages. You also can be reimbursed for your attorney’s fees and court costs. A group of people also may sue a debt collector as part of a class action lawsuit and recover money for damages up to $500, 000, or one percent of the collector’s net worth, whichever amount is lower. Even if a debt collector violates the FDCPA in trying to collect a debt, the debt does not go away if you owe it.

What should I do if a debt collector sues me?
If a debt collector files a lawsuit against you to collect a debt, respond to the lawsuit, either personally or through your lawyer, by the date specified in the court papers to preserve your rights.

Where do I report a debt collector for an alleged violation?
Report any problems you have with a debt collector to your state Attorney General’s office (www.naag.org) and the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Many states have their own debt collection laws that are different from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Your Attorney General’s office can help you determine your rights under your state’s law.

For More Information
To learn more about debt collection and other credit-related issues, visit www.ftc.gov/credit and MyMoney.gov, the U.S. government’s portal to financial education.

The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP [protected]); TTY: [protected]. Watch a new video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad

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