The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) protects you. It was put in place in 1978 and was designed to establish legal consumer protection against abusive, deceptive and unfair debt collection practices. One way to protect yourself and enforce the rules is to let debt collectors know that you know your rights under the FDCPA. Any violation should be documented and sent to the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Attorney General's office.