What a Debt Collector May Not Do
205 ILCS 740/9.2 — no calls before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., and a written notice within 5 days
Without the debtor's consent or a court's permission, a collection agency may not contact the debtor in these circumstances, and may not discuss the debt with anyone but the debtor, the debtor's lawyer, the creditor and the other people the section names.
Who handles this in Illinois: Illinois Attorney General, Consumer Fraud; and legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Illinois directory.
- At an unusual or inconvenient time or place, and without other knowledge, before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. local time.
- When it knows the debtor has a lawyer on the debt, unless the lawyer does not respond or consents.
- At work, when it knows the employer prohibits such calls.
A written refusal or stop request. Once the debtor tells the agency in writing that they refuse to pay or want it to stop contacting them, it may not communicate further about that debt except to say its efforts are ending or to give notice of a specific remedy.
| Within 5 days of first contact, the agency sends | And then |
|---|---|
| Within 5 days of first contact, the agency sendsThe amount of the debt and the creditor's name | And thenThe debt is assumed valid unless disputed within 30 days |
| Within 5 days of first contact, the agency sendsNotice of the right to dispute in writing within the 30-day period | And thenCollection stops until the agency mails verification or a judgment |
Sources for this section (2)
- 205 ILCS 740/9.2 — Communication in connection with debt collection
- 205 ILCS 740/9.3 — Validation of debts
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Illinois attorney.