Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA, 1977)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The FDCPA was enacted to eliminate abusive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection practices, while ensuring ethical collectors could still recover debts.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before the FDCPA, debt collection was largely unregulated at the federal level, and consumers had few protections against harassment or abuse by collectors.