Complaints about aggressive debt collection have skyrocketed in recent months, federal data shows, a sign that more Americans are falling behind on credit cards and medical bills.
The rise in debt-collection complaints also suggests debt collectors may feel emboldened, some consumer advocates say, by a presidential administration that has gutted the federal government’s consumer watchdog effort.
The Federal Trade Commission logged more than 140,000 debt collection complaints in the second quarter of 2025, up from about 44,000 in the same period last year. Complaints are most common in Georgia, Texas and Florida.
"I think we’re just seeing more people fall into debt and then struggling with collections," said Thomas Nitzsche, a financial educator at the credit counseling nonprofit Money Management International.
Household debt in America reached $18.4 trillion in the second quarter of 2025, up from $14.3 trillion at the same time in 2020. Credit card debt surpassed $1.2 trillion in the second quarter, up from about $800 billion at the same time five years ago.
