# Debt Collection

*Borrowing & Credit — Finicade finance glossary*

Debt collection is the pursuit of an unpaid debt by the original lender or, more often, an agency that bought it. Consumer protection law sets hard limits on it: collectors can't call at any hour, can't threaten what they can't legally do, and must validate the debt in writing when you ask — always ask, because bought debt files are frequently wrong about amount or identity. Debts also age past a statute of limitations, after which suing is barred, though a single partial payment can restart the clock.

**Also known as:** collections, debt collector, collection account

**Related terms:** [Charge-Off](https://finicade.com/glossary/charge-off), [Delinquency](https://finicade.com/glossary/delinquency), [Debt Settlement](https://finicade.com/glossary/debt-settlement), [Credit Report](https://finicade.com/glossary/credit-report), [Statute of Limitations](https://finicade.com/glossary/statute-of-limitations)

Source: https://finicade.com/glossary/debt-collection