# How to stop contact

You have the right to ask us to stop contacting you. Here is how the system actually honors that today.

## The ways that work today

### By phone

If you are on a call with us, tell our agent: "Stop calling me", "Don't call again", "Cease and desist", or "Remove me from your list." The agent will fire the `capture_cease` tool with the appropriate scope (`call`, `email`, or `all`) and end the call. The cease is honored persistently.

### By email reply

Reply to any email from us with a clear stop request. Wording like "stop contacting me" or "don't email me again" works. The reply classifier buckets the message into one of two intents:

* **`unsubscribe`** (email-only opt-out) — flips `Debtor.email_opt_out` to True and pauses every active email sequence to `paused_opt_out`. **The call channel stays open** per PRD §6.5.
* **`cease_all_contact`** (all-channel cease/desist) — flips both `Debtor.email_opt_out` AND `Debtor.call_opt_out` to True, pauses every active sequence, and cancels every scheduled call.

To make sure you get the all-channel result, use clear cease/desist wording (not just "unsubscribe"). Destructive intents are also gated on DKIM-pass + sender-on-file checks; if your reply comes from an unfamiliar address, the system holds it for human review instead of acting silently.

### By mail / portal communication-preferences page

A self-serve communication-preferences UI in the portal is planned but not yet available. To request stop-contact in writing today, contact compliance or use the email-reply path above.

## What stops

After a cease request is recorded:

* **`call_opt_out=True`** — the voice scheduler will refuse to schedule further calls.
* **`email_opt_out=True`** — email sequences pause to `paused_opt_out` and the worker will not advance them.

A single final-confirmation communication may be sent (allowed under 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c)).

## What does NOT stop

A stop-contact request does not extinguish the debt. The creditor may still:

* File a lawsuit.
* Sell or assign the debt to another collector (you'd need to send a stop-contact request to them separately).
* Continue activity through channels not involving us.

## Stop requests during a dispute

A cease request during an active dispute keeps the placement paused. Dispute resolution continues internally (evidence packets are still assembled, audit events still write), but outbound calls and emails stop.

## Reversing a stop request, temporary pauses, payment-plan handling

Self-serve "allow contact again", "pause until \[date]", and payment-plan-aware stop handling in the portal are planned but not yet available. Today, reversing requires operator action — `email_opt_out` / `call_opt_out` are described in code as "destructive — pause/opt-out can only be undone by an operator".

## Special situations

### If you're represented by a lawyer

Tell us your lawyer's contact info — on a call, the agent fires `capture_attorney`. Federal law (15 U.S.C. § 1692c(a)(2)) prohibits us from contacting you directly on this debt after we know you have counsel.

### If you're a corporation

FDCPA-style stop-contact rules don't apply to corporations under federal law. As a matter of policy, the cease tools available to the agent and the reply classifier honor cease requests from any caller.

### If you're a sole proprietor

FDCPA-style stop-contact rules apply in full. A written stop request is binding on us.

***

Last reviewed: 2026-05-12 by Compliance Lead. **TODO: external counsel review (P0 — must be reviewed before publish).**


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