Our guides explain your rights. Sometimes you need someone to look at your actual situation. These organizations can help — most for free.
File a complaint
| Resource | What it's for | Link |
|---|
| Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) | Complaints about debt collectors, credit bureaus, banks, and card issuers. Free; the CFPB forwards your complaint to the company. | consumerfinance.gov/complaint |
| Federal Trade Commission (FTC) | Report scams, fake collectors, and fraud. | ReportFraud.ftc.gov |
| Your state attorney general | Complaints about collectors under state law. | Find your AG (NAAG) |
Get legal help
| Resource | What it's for | Link |
|---|
| Legal aid | Free civil legal help if you qualify by income. | LSC: Find legal aid · LawHelp.org |
| National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) | Directory of consumer attorneys, many of whom handle FDCPA and FCRA cases. | consumeradvocates.org |
| Your court's self-help center | Forms and procedures for answering a lawsuit. Staff can't give legal advice but can point you to the right forms. | Search "[your county] court self-help center" |
| Law school clinics | Some offer free consumer law help. | Search "[your state] law school consumer clinic" |
Credit reports and identity theft
| Resource | What it's for | Link |
|---|
| AnnualCreditReport.com | The official site for free credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion (free weekly). | annualcreditreport.com |
| IdentityTheft.gov | FTC recovery plans and identity theft reports. | identitytheft.gov |
Budgeting and repayment
| Resource | What it's for | Link |
|---|
| Nonprofit credit counseling | Budget help and debt management plans. Choose a nonprofit agency and ask about fees up front. | NFCC |
Know Your Debt Rights isn't affiliated with any of these organizations and receives nothing for listing them.