When a debtor says stop, everything stops.

The FDCPA section 805(c) provides that if a consumer notifies a collector in writing that they refuse to pay or want the collector to cease communication, the collector must stop, except to advise that collection is being terminated, to notify of specific remedies the collector ordinarily invokes, or to notify of intent to invoke a specific remedy. Section 805(a)(2) prohibits contacting a consumer known to be represented by an attorney, and 805(a)(3) prohibits contacting at work if the collector knows the employer prohibits it. Regulation F added that consumers may opt out of specific electronic channels, and that opt-out must be honored even if the consumer continues to accept other channels.

In practice these arrive in every form: a text reply saying "stop," an email saying "do not contact me again," a verbal statement on a call that "my lawyer is handling this," a letter refusing to pay. Traditional operations miss them because they come through different channels to different people and require someone to update a system. A collector who keeps calling after a cease request has a strict-liability violation.

HL Hunt classifies every inbound communication for these signals using AI trained on the many ways consumers express them. When one is detected, the restriction is applied to the account instantly and enforced on every channel. Written cease requests result in a full stop with only permitted communications allowed. Channel opt-outs stop that channel. Attorney representation redirects all contact. The request, its source, and the action taken are logged, so the record shows compliance.