Debt Collectors
R.I. Gen. Laws § 19-14.9-6 — no threats, no abuse, no repeated calls, and up to $1,000 in extra damages
- Using or threatening violence or other criminal means against a person, their reputation or property.
- Obscene, profane or abusive language.
- Advertising a debt for sale to coerce payment.
- Calling repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse or harass.
- Calling without meaningful disclosure of who is calling.
A debt collector may not harass, oppress or abuse anyone in collecting a debt, including by any of those.
What a consumer recovers. A collector who breaks the rules is liable for actual damages, additional damages the court allows up to $1,000, and costs and reasonable attorney fees. Collecting without registration is a crime of up to $2,000 or one year.
The federal debt collection act applies as well. A particular collector is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 19-14.9-6 — Harassment or abuse
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 19-14.9-13 — Remedies and penalties
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Rhode Island attorney.