How do I report harassment by a debt collector?
Last updated: 2026-07-10 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
File with the SEC, which supervises lending and financing companies, through its I-Message Mo portal (imessage.sec.gov.ph) to the Financing and Lending Companies Department (FLCD), citing SEC Memorandum Circular 18 (2019); the SEC's Enforcement and Investor Protection Department (EIPD) then acts on the complaint and can issue show-cause and cease-and-desist orders. File in parallel with the National Privacy Commission (privacy.gov.ph) if your data or contacts were misused (RA 10173). Both are administrative complaints — no lawyer and no filing fee are required — and both can order the lender to stop and can suspend its Certificate of Authority. LabanPH prepares both complaints and packages your screenshot evidence.
Primary sources
Frequently asked
What evidence do I attach?
Screenshots of the harassing messages and calls (with dates and times), the app's permission requests, any messages sent to your contacts or employer, the loan disclosure, and the lender's name as it appears on the SEC's list. Organize them chronologically.
Do I need a lawyer or a fee?
No. SEC and NPC complaints are administrative and free; you can file in writing or through the online portals. A lawyer is optional and not required to start the case.
How long until something happens?
The SEC's EIPD typically issues show-cause orders within about 30–60 days of a complete complaint, and cease-and-desist orders have issued in as little as two weeks for egregious conduct; coordinated complaints from multiple borrowers move faster.
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Your rights when a lender or collector harasses you, contacts your family, or threatens you — and how SEC MC 18 limits them.