What is a 'cease communication' request in debt collection?

• A. A request to begin contacting at their workplace.
• B. A request to change the creditor.
• C. A consumer instruction to stop contacting them; collectors must honor it except for required litigation or other legally permitted actions.
• D. An instruction to increase the debt.

Answer: (C)

A cease communication request is when a consumer tells a debt collector to stop contacting them about the debt. When the collector receives this instruction in writing, they must honor it, stopping normal outreach. The only times they may continue contact are for actions required by law, such as pursuing litigation or informing the consumer about actions the collector plans to take, or to respond to any disputes. It doesn’t erase the debt; it just limits communications, while legal steps can still proceed.