Debt collection

Send a debt validation letter

A PostalGenie customer sending a letter from her phone, a team member carrying printed letters, and a recipient opening their mail.

Tell Genie who contacted you and what they claim you owe. It drafts the letter in your words, checks the collector's address, and we mail it for you.

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First-Class from $4.99 · Certified Mail $14.99 with tracking and a delivery record

What this letter is

A debt validation letter is a written request asking a debt collector to verify a debt before you deal with it further. Under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. §1692g), a consumer who disputes a debt in writing within 30 days of the collector's initial notice is entitled to verification, and the collector must stop collection activity until it responds. You can raise a dispute by phone, but a call does not oblige the collector to prove anything — only a written dispute triggers the verification duty. That is why this is a letter and not a call.

What to put in it

Your full name and current mailing address, matching the notice you received.
The collector's name and the account or reference number printed on their letter.
A clear statement that you dispute the debt and request validation of it.
The date of the collection notice you are responding to.
A request that the collector communicate with you in writing.
Nothing that acknowledges the debt as yours — state the request, not an admission.

You can dispute a debt by phone, but only a written dispute obliges the collector to verify it — and the 30-day window runs from their first notice. Certified Mail adds USPS tracking and a delivery record, so the date you sent it is documented rather than argued about later.

From a prompt to the post office in 3 steps.

1
Describe it
Say what happened in plain words. No forms, no templates to pick.
2
Genie drafts & checks
It writes the letter in the right tone and finds the recipient's address.
3
Preview and send
Approve the exact letter and we post it. Certified adds tracking and a delivery record.

Good to know.

How long do I have to send a debt validation letter?

The FDCPA gives a consumer 30 days from the collector's initial written notice to dispute the debt in writing and request verification. A phone call inside that window disputes the debt, but it does not oblige the collector to verify it — that takes writing. Because mail takes time, send it well inside the window: PostalGenie typically hands a letter off for mailing within 1–2 business days, and First-Class letters usually arrive about 3–5 business days after that. Times are not guaranteed, so allow lead time.

Should I send it Certified?

Certified Mail is $14.99 and adds USPS tracking plus a record of delivery, which is what most people want when a statutory clock is involved. First-Class from $4.99 is the cheaper option if you do not need proof of delivery.

Do you tell me what to say?

Genie drafts the letter from the facts you give it — it does not add claims you did not supply, and it is not legal advice. You edit the draft freely and see the exact letter before you pay; nothing is mailed until you approve it.

*PostalGenie is a technology tool, not a law firm. Letters generated through PostalGenie are not legal advice and may not satisfy specific legal notice requirements. Consult a qualified attorney for legal matters.

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