FTC data shows Atlanta metro had the highest rate of debt collection complaints in 2025, with national filings doubling to 471,000. The surge signals growing consumer financial strain.
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Metro Atlanta recorded the highest rate of debt collection complaints in the U.S. in 2025, according to Federal Trade Commission data released July 8. The report, covered by CBS News, showed that consumers nationwide filed more than 471,000 complaints with the FTC last year, more than double the 2024 total.
Georgia also ranked first among all states for debt collection complaints on a per-capita basis. Texas, Florida, and Louisiana followed. Every state recorded an increase over 2024, with several posting triple-digit percentage growth.
Researchers attributed the increase to rising consumer debt burdens and more aggressive collection efforts. They also noted greater awareness of the FTC's complaint reporting process. Nearly half of all complaints alleged abusive or threatening behavior.
Not every complaint involved a legitimate collector. Some consumers said they did not believe they owed the alleged debt, while others suspected they were targeted by fraudulent callers posing as collectors.
On the metropolitan level, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Memphis joined Atlanta among the highest-ranking cities for complaints per capita. In absolute volume, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, New York, and Miami generated the most complaints.
Adults aged 30 to 39 filed the largest share of complaints, researchers said. Consumers aged 40 to 49 ranked second, followed by those aged 20 to 29. Many people in those age groups are managing mortgages, vehicle loans, student debt, and other financial obligations simultaneously, the researchers noted.
The complaint data adds to a picture of consumer financial strain that investors have been tracking through other indicators. Credit card delinquencies have risen, and subprime auto loan defaults are at multi-year highs. The FTC data is a lagging measure. The doubling in one year points to accelerating stress.
Consumer advocates recommend that anyone contacted by a debt collector request written verification before making a payment and report abusive practices to the FTC.
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