States and cities where debt collection calls are surging
American households currently carry a record $18.2 trillion in debt, and delinquencies are rising. An unfortunate consequence is that unpleasant calls from debt collectors are also skyrocketing. Debt collection calls rose by more than 150 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period last year, according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint data.
Individuals may report debt collector calls to the FTC, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) or their state's attorney general office. Americans living in Georgia have been the most inundated with these calls, with residents filing 80 complaints per 100,000 people, according to NumberBarn analysis . Atlanta was the worst hit city, with 6,500 complaints made for every 100,000 residents.
Texas was the second worst hit state, with locals filing more than 18,000 complaints of debt collector calls - 62 for every 100,000 people. Experts claim the recent surge is down to both legitimate debt collectors ramping up efforts to claim back funds amid economic uncertainty , as well as scammers exploiting the situation by impersonating collectors. Dallas was the city flooded with the second most calls adjusted for population, followed by Miami.
Although debt collection call complaints have been steadily rising for the last 10 years - averaging between 35,000 and 45,000 per quarter - the recent spike is notable. The biggest chunk of complaints are made by those aged 30 to 39, a group weighed down by more than half of the nation's student loan debt. This leaves Americans in that age bracket open to legitimate and fraudulent debt collection calls, experts warned.
'When it comes to debt collection, we're seeing a perfect storm right now,' Michael Boggiano, managing partner at Wealthcare Financial, told Money.com . 'The surge in complaints against collectors reflects both a rise in legitimate frustration and a rise in fraud.' The average American's debt is now $61,660, up $970 from a year ago, according to the New York Federal Reserve.
That is more than four times the volume that were described as such in the same period of 2024. Experts from NumberBarn say that aggressive or threatening tactics could be a sign a call is a scam, as official debt collectors must follow certain regulations.
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