Debt Collection Survey

OMB Control Number 3170-XXXX

A Survey of

Consumer Views on Debt

YOUR RESPONSES ARE CONFIDENTIAL

Thank you for your help

Your participation is voluntary, and you may
skip any questions that you don’t want to
answer.

with this important
national survey!

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRITICAL
This survey will provide valuable information
about consumers’ experiences that will help
shape better policies.

This survey is available in Spanish online. See the back cover for instructions.

Want to take the
survey online?
See the back cover
for instructions.

Consumer Views on Debt
About Us
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a Federal agency created in 2010 to make
mortgage, credit card, automobile and other consumer loans work better and ensure that these
markets are fair, transparent, and competitive and that the costs and risks are clear.
Who should complete this survey?
It is important that this survey is only completed by the person named on the enclosed letter.
What is the Survey of Consumer Views on Debt?
Most Americans have credit or debt at one time or another. This survey is about your
experiences with credit and debt and the process of paying debts. This information will help
ensure that consumers are treated fairly and respectfully when creditors seek to collect money
they are owed.
How was I selected for this Survey?
Survey recipients were selected at random from across the United States. Taken together, the
survey results will give a better picture of consumers’ experiences with debt collection.
People’s experiences and views can vary widely, so it is important that the study reflects the
perspectives of all types of Americans.
How long will it take?
We expect that it will take about 10-20 minutes to complete this survey. Your time may vary
based on your individual experiences.
Questions?
For more information about this survey, please call 1-800-555-0000 or go to
www.consumerfinance.gov/debtcollectionsurvey.html. For more information about the CFPB, visit
www.consumerfinance.gov.
Privacy Act Statement: 5 U.S.C. 552a (e)(3) This collection of information is authorized by Pub. L. No. 111-203, Title X,
Sections 1013 and 1022, codified at 12 U.S.C. §§ 5493 and 5512. The information you provide in response to this survey issued
by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) will be used to understand consumers’ experiences with debt and debt
collection. Administrative data were used to select people to receive this survey. Your responses will be combined with
administrative data in a way that you remain anonymous. Routine uses which may be made of the collected information can be
found in the CFPB’s System of Records Notice, CFPB.022 –Market and Consumer Research Records, 77 FR 67802. The
CFPB may make an anonymous version of the survey data publicly available in accordance with applicable federal law.
Participation in this study is voluntary and there are no penalties for refusing to answer any question. However, your
participation is extremely important to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the statistical results.
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.
The OMB control number for this collection is 3170-XXXX. It expires on MM/DD/YYYY. The time required to complete this
information collection is estimated to average approximately 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing any
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection of information is voluntary. Comments regarding this
collection of information, including the estimated response time, suggestions for improving the usefulness of the information, or
suggestions for reducing the burden to respond to this collection should be submitted to the Bureau at the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (Attention: PRA Office), 1700 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552, or by email to [email protected].

A. Your Situation and Experiences
This section asks about your general financial situation.
1. Would you say that you are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago?
Better now
About the same
Worse
2. Now looking ahead—do you think that a year from now you will be better off financially, or worse
off, or just about the same as now?
Will be better off
About the same
Will be worse off
3. Have you applied for any type of credit or loan in the last five years?
Yes
No

3a. In the past five years, have you been turned down for credit or
not given as much credit as you applied for?
Yes, turned down for credit
Yes, not as much credit as applied for
No
Please skip to Question 4
3b. Were you later able to obtain the full amount you requested
from that lender or somewhere else?
Yes
No
Did not reapply

4. At any time in the past five years, did you think of applying for credit or a loan but changed your
mind because you thought you might be turned down?
Yes
No

1

For the purposes of this survey, a debt is any money you owe. A debt could be a bank loan, student loan,
financing from a store or dealer, amounts remaining on credit cards after your last payment, or bills or payments
that are past due.
Do not include business loans or loans from a family member or from a friend.
5. Do you currently have each of these kinds of debt?
Loans
A charge card or credit card balance remaining after your last payment
Mortgage or home equity loan
Home equity line of credit (HELOC) that you owe money on
A loan for an automobile or other type of vehicle (such as a motorcycle or boat)
Student loan
Payday loan
Automobile title loan
Other consumer or personal loan or line of credit: ________________________

Yes

No

Past-due Bills, Payments, or Other Debt
Past-due taxes
Past-due medical bill(s)
Past-due rent
Past-due phone, cable, internet, or other telecommunications bill(s)
Past-due utility bill(s) (gas, electric, water, etc.)
Legal judgment or legal expenses (child support, attorneys’ fees, etc.)
Other type of debt: _____________________________________

Yes

No

2

B. Your Experiences with Debt Collection
This section asks about your experiences with debt collection. We are interested in any instances that a creditor or
debt collector tried to collect a debt from you—whether or not you owed the debt.


Debt collection occurs when a creditor or debt collector contacts you to seek payment for a debt that is past
due. This does not include contact in the course of making on-time payments.



A creditor is any person or company that lent you money (for example, a bank or credit card company) or
that sold you something on credit (for example, a store, hospital, or landlord). Creditors may collect debts
through their internal collections departments.



A debt collector is a person or company other than the creditor that tries to collect on a debt, such as an
attorney or a debt collection firm.
6. In the past year, since [January 2014], have you been contacted by a creditor or debt collector trying
to collect a past-due debt from you? Include instances when you were contacted about debts that you
believed you did not owe or someone else’s debt. Do not include instances when a creditor or debt collector
contacted you by mistake and had the wrong phone number or address.
Yes
No

Skip to Section F. (Question35)

7. In the past year, since [January 2014], how many different debts have creditors or debt collectors
tried to collect from you?
1 debt
2–4 debts
5–9 debts
10 or more debts
8. Were any of these debts that you have been contacted about since [January 2014]…
Yes
A debt that you did not owe?
A debt you owed but the amount the collector was seeking was wrong?
A debt for which you were a co-signer?
A debt owed by a family member that you did not co-sign?
A debt owed by a deceased family member?

3

No

9. Thinking about all of the debts that you have been contacted about since [January 2014], were you
contacted about any of the following types of debt?
Loans
A charge card or credit card balance remaining after your last payment
Mortgage or home equity loan
Home equity line of credit (HELOC) that you owe money on
A loan for an automobile or other type of vehicle (such as a motorcycle or boat)
Student loan
Payday loan
Automobile title loan
Other consumer or personal loan or line of credit: __________________________

Yes

No

Past-due Bills, Payments, or Other Debts
Past-due taxes
Past-due medical bill(s)
Past-due rent
Past-due phone, cable, internet, or other telecommunications bill(s)
Past-due utility bill(s) (gas, electric, water, etc.)
Legal judgment or legal expenses (child support, attorneys’ fees, etc.)
Other type of debt: __________________________________________________

Yes

No

10. Since [January 2014], have you ever paid part or all of a debt after being contacted by a creditor or
debt collector about that debt?
Yes

10a.

No

Thinking about the most recent debt you paid after being contacted, which
best describes why you paid this debt? Please check one reason.
I thought it would improve my credit score or credit rating
I wanted the creditor or debt collector to stop contacting me
I wanted the creditor or debt collector to stop contacting friends, co-workers,
or others
I had forgotten or not known about the debt and collection efforts led me to
pay it
I thought I might be sued if I did not pay
I thought it might affect my job or I could lose my job if I did not pay
My financial situation changed and I was able to pay the debt
I paid it because it was the right thing to do
I paid it because it was a small amount
I needed to pay it off to qualify for a new loan
Other reason: __________________________________________

10b.

People may pay a debt that they are unsure is theirs. Which of the following
best describes how sure you were about whether this debt was yours?
I was reasonably sure the debt was mine
I was reasonably sure the debt was not mine
I was unsure whether the debt was mine
4

11. Since [January 2014], have you ever not paid a debt even after being contacted by a creditor or debt
collector about the debt?
Yes
No

11a. Thinking of the most recent instance when you did not pay a debt despite
being contacted by a creditor or debt collector, which best describes why
you did not pay the debt? Please check one reason.
I did not have enough money
I was not sure the debt was mine or was legitimate
The amount of the debt was wrong
I had already paid the debt
I did not know who to pay
I thought nothing bad would happen
I was (or am) planning to file for bankruptcy
I did not want to pay
I plan to pay but have not yet done so
Other reason: _____________________________________________

12. In the past year, since [January 2014], have you ever asked a creditor or debt collector to stop
contacting you?
Yes

12a.

No

Thinking about the most recent time you requested that a creditor or
debt collector stop contacting you, how did you make your request?
Over the phone or in person
By letter or fax
By email, text, or internet

12b.

Did the creditor or debt collector stop contacting you after this request?
Yes
No

13. Think about the last time you were contacted by a creditor or debt collector about a debt. How
helpful would the following information have been in figuring out whether you owed the debt?
Very
helpful

Original account number
Name of the original creditor (at the time the debt was taken out)
Itemization of the amount owed (such as principal, interest and fees)
Social Security Number of the person who owes the debt
Type of debt (credit card, medical bill, etc.)
Name and address of the person who owes the debt
Name and address of joint borrowers (if any)
Date and amount of the last payment made
Copy of the last billing statement
Copy of the contract or original invoice

5

Somewh
at helpful

Not at all
helpful

C. Your Most Recent Debt Collection
These questions refer to the debt that a creditor or debt collector contacted you about most recently—even if you
believe that this debt is not yours, the amount is wrong, or you already paid this debt.
Please do not include instances when a creditor or debt collector contacted you by mistake.
14. In the past year, since [January 2014], how many different creditors or debt collectors have contacted
you trying to collect a debt?
One creditor or debt collector

Please skip to Question 17

Two or more
Don’t know
14a. Which of the following best describes the type of debt that a creditor or debt collector
most recently contacted you about? Please check one type of debt.
Loans
A charge card or credit card balance remaining after your last payment
Mortgage or home equity loan
Home equity line of credit (HELOC) that you owe money on
A loan for an automobile or other type of vehicle (such as a motorcycle or boat)
Student loan
Payday loan
Automobile title loan
Other consumer or personal loan or line of credit: ____________________________
Past-due Bills, Payments, or Other Debt
Past-due taxes
Past-due medical bill(s)
Past-due rent
Past-due phone, cable, internet, or other telecommunications bill(s)
Past-due utility bill(s) (gas, electric, water, etc.)
Legal judgment or legal expenses (child support, attorneys’ fees, etc.)
Other type of past-due bill or payment:_____________________________________
15. When this creditor or debt collector first contacted you about this particular debt, did you believe
that you owed some or all of the debt?
Yes
No
I was uncertain
16. When this creditor or debt collector first contacted you, did you believe that the amount being sought
was correct?
Yes
No
I was uncertain
6

17. When did a creditor or debt collector most recently contact you about this debt?
Less than a month ago
1 to 3 months ago
4 to 6 months ago
7 to 12 months ago
18. How long has any creditor or debt collector been contacting you about this debt?
Less than 3 months
4 to 6 months
7 to 12 months
More than 12 months
19. Think about the person or company that contacted you most recently about this debt. Was this
person or company the creditor or a debt collector? Please check one response.
The creditor (for example, the original lender, store, hospital, or landlord)
A debt collector (including a law firm or debt collection company trying to collect the debt)
Don’t know
20. How often did this creditor or debt collector usually try to reach you each week, including times they
did not reach you?
Twice per week or less
3 to 6 times per week
7 to 14 times per week
15 or more times per week
21. How did this creditor or debt collector try to reach you (including times they were not able to reach
you)? Did they try to reach you…
Yes
No
In person?
By phone?
By voicemail or answering machine message?
By letter?
By email?
By text message?
By social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)?
In some other way?: _________________________________________________

7

22. Think about the creditor or debt collector that most recently contacted you about this debt.

Did he or she …
Yes

No

Provide accurate information?
Contact you too often?
Provide options to pay the debt?
Call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.?
Speak with you in your preferred language?
Say that he or she was calling to collect a debt?
Address your questions about this debt clearly and accurately?
Treat you politely?
Threaten you?
23. Did you contact each of the following about your experience with this creditor or debt

collector?
Yes

No

An attorney or legal aid organization
A Federal or state government agency (Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, state Attorney General, etc.)
A Better Business Bureau or other industry group
24. To your knowledge, has this creditor or debt collector ever contacted someone other than

your spouse, your attorney, or a co-signer (such as a friend, coworker, or family member) in
trying to collect this debt?
Yes
No
25. Did you pay off some or all of this debt after this creditor or debt collector contacted you?

Yes
No

8

D. Disputing a Debt in Collection
People sometimes dispute a debt. For example, they may tell the creditor or debt collector that the debt is not his
or hers or that the amount is wrong.
26. In the past year, since [January 2014], have you disputed a debt with a creditor or debt collector?
Yes
No

Please skip to Question 34

27. Is the debt that you most recently disputed the same one as the most recent debt you were contacted
about (that you described in Section C)?
Yes
No
In questions 28–33, answer based on your most recent experience in which you disputed a debt.
28. Did you dispute the following?
Yes

No

Whether it was your debt
Whether the amount of the debt was correct
Whether the debt had already been paid
Whether the creditor or debt collector had the right to collect the debt
Other: _______________________________________________
29. Who did you dispute this debt with? Please check one response.
The creditor (for example, the original lender, store, hospital, or landlord)
A debt collector (including a law firm or debt collection company trying to collect the debt)
Don’t know
30. Was this the first time you had disputed this debt?
Yes, this was the first time I disputed the debt
No, I had previously disputed the debt with the creditor or with a different debt collector
31. Thinking about the most recent dispute, how did you dispute the debt?
Over the phone or in person
By letter or fax
By email, text, or internet
32. In response to this dispute, did the creditor or debt collector …
Yes
Reduced the amount of debt?
Ceased efforts to collect the debt?
Made other payment arrangements?
Ignore the dispute and continue to contact you?
9

No

33. Did the creditor or debt collector provide additional information in response to your dispute?
Yes
No

33a. Did the creditor or debt collector provide the following in response to your
dispute?
Yes No
Original account number
Name of the original creditor
Itemization of the amount owed (i.e., principal, interest, and fees)
Social Security Number of the person who owes the debt
Type of debt (credit card, medical bill, etc.)
Name and address of the person who owes the debt
Name and address of other borrowers
Date and amount of the last payment made
Copy of the last billing statement
Copy of the contract or original invoice
Other: _____________________________________________
33b. Did this information allow you to determine if you owed the amount that
the creditor or debt collector was seeking?
Yes
No

E. Lawsuits to Collect on Debts
34. In the past year, since [January 2014], have you been sued by someone wishing to collect a debt (for
example, you received or were served with a complaint)?
Yes
No

34a.

Did you attend the court hearing for the most recent lawsuit?
Yes
No

34b.

Please skip to Question 35

People may want to attend a court hearing but then are unable to or do not.
Which of the following best describes the main reason you did not attend
the hearing? Check one reason.
I owed the debt or had no defense
I did not owe the debt but thought it would not matter whether I appeared
I did not know that a lawsuit had been filed
I did not know when or where the hearing was held
I did not have an attorney
It was too difficult or expensive to attend
Other:_____________________________________________
The claim was settled or the suit was dropped
10

F. Your Preferences for Communications about Debts
To help the CFPB understand how consumers interact with creditors and debt collectors, the following questions
ask for your opinion about being contacted through various methods and the content of messages a creditor or
debt collector might leave.
35. Please indicate ways that a creditor or debt collector could contact you regarding a debt you owe.
Yes

No

In-person
Home phone
Cell phone
Voicemail or answering machine
Letter
Email
Text message
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
36. Which is the preferred way you would want to be contacted by a creditor or debt collector?
In-person
Home phone
Cell phone
Voicemail or answering machine
Letter
Email
Text Message
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
37. If a creditor or debt collector left you a voicemail or answering machine message, would you want the
information below included or not included?
Included
Not included
The creditor’s or debt collector’s name
That the creditor or debt collector is attempting to collect a debt
That the communication is an attempt to collect a debt and any
information obtained will be used for that purpose
38. How important is it to you that others do not hear or see a message from a creditor or debt collector?
Very important
Somewhat important
Not at all important

11

G. You and Your Household
39. What is your sex?
Male
Female

47. Which of these ways do you regularly use to
access the Internet?
Yes No
Your phone
A computer at home
A computer at work
A tablet or similar portable device
Other (for example, library or a
relative’s home)

40. What is your age as of your last birthday?
Less than 25 years
25–34 years
35–44 years
45–54 years
55–64 years
65 years or older

48. What is your current marital status?
Married
Living with a partner
Never married
Separated
Divorced
Widowed

41. What is your highest level of education?
Less than a high school degree
High school degree
Some college (excluding technical or
vocational schools)
College degree
Postgraduate degree (for example, MA,
PhD, JD, MBA, MD)

Please answer the following questions for you and
your spouse or partner, if you have one.

42. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish
origin?
Yes
No

49. Current work status: Check all that apply
Spouse/
You Partner
Self-employed
Work full time
Work part time
Retired
Temporarily laid off or on
leave
Not working for pay (student,
disabled, unemployed, etc.)

43. What is your race? Check all that apply
White
Black or African American
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
44. Is English your preferred language?
Yes
No
45. Do you have a mobile phone?
Yes
Please skip to Question 47
No
46. Would you have to pay extra (on top of
any regular monthly fees) to receive the
following on your mobile phone?
Yes No
A call
A text message
12

50. Recent active duty military service and
veteran status: Active duty includes service in
U.S. Armed Forces as well as activation from
the Reserves or National Guard.
Spouse/
You
Partner
On active duty at any time
since [January 2014]
Veteran but not on active
duty since [January 2014]
No military service

OMB Control Number 3170-XXXX

51. Is your current residence owned, rented, or something else?
Owned or being bought by you, your spouse or partner, or someone else who lives there
Rented
Neither owned nor rented
52. Approximately how much was your total annual household income in 2013 from all sources (wages,
salaries, tips, interest, child support, alimony, investment or rental income, retirement, social security,
government benefits such as TANF)?
Less than $20,000
$20,000 to $39,999
$40,000 to $69,999
$70,000 to $99,999
$100,000 or more
53. How does your total annual household income last year compare to what you would expect in a
“normal” year?
Higher than normal
Normal
Lower than normal
54. Have any of the following happened to you since [January 2014]?
Yes
Separation or divorce
Marriage or moving in with a new partner
Death of a household member
Birth, adoption, or other addition to your household
Person leaving your household
Promotion or starting a new job for you or for your spouse or partner
Loss of significant income for you or for your spouse or partner
Retirement for your or for your spouse or partner
Disability or serious illness of any one in your household
Identity theft of personal information belonging to you or your spouse or partner
Natural disaster affecting your home
Move within the state where you currently live
Move from a different state
Move to the U.S. from another country

13

No

We have provided the space below if you wish to share additional comments or further explain any of your
responses. Please do not put your name or address on the questionnaire.

The CFPB thanks you for completing our survey!
Please use the enclosed business reply envelope to return your completed questionnaire to:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
1600 Research Blvd., RC B16
Rockville MD 20850

If you would prefer to complete the survey online in English or Spanish, follow the
instructions below. Web responses are processed more quickly, so taking the survey
online makes it less likely that you will receive follow-up contacts.

Web Survey Instructions
1

Go to the website www.CFPBDebtSurvey.com

2

Log in with your personal PIN number and 5-digit zip code found in
the accompanying letter.

Questions?

If you have any technical difficulties, including problems with the website or
any questions about the survey, please call 1-800-555-0000.