Credit Card, Auto, Utility, and Student Loan Debt
Each debt type has its own common patterns. Credit card debt is covered in full below — auto, utility, and student loan debt each have their own dedicated page.
Credit Card Debt
Time-barred ("zombie") debt
After your state's statute of limitations expires, a collector can no longer sue you over the debt — but many keep trying anyway, hoping you don't know the deadline has passed.
Texas and New York statute of limitations are covered in detail on the Texas and Outside Texas pages. Outside those two states, confirm your own state's rule before relying on any specific number — find your state's Attorney General for the most reliable starting point.
Your validation right applies here too
The same 30-day validation right described in the General Playbook applies to credit card debt exactly as it does to any other consumer debt. A written dispute within 30 days of first contact requires the collector to stop collecting until it verifies the debt.