Tampa ranks among worst in U.S. for harassing debt collection calls. Here's where Florida ranks as a state

TAMPA, Fla. - Florida is seeing one of the steepest spikes in debt collection calls in the country, and Tampa is among the hardest-hit cities.

Florida’s debt collection problem

By the numbers:

An analysis from telecom provider NumberBarn using Federal Trade Commission data shows Florida ranks third in the nation for the total number of debt collection complaints this year—12,705 reports in just the first quarter of 2025.

That’s a 179% jump compared to the same time last year, making Florida one of the top 10 fastest-growing states for debt collection calls. Only Texas and Arkansas saw a steeper increase.

Tampa lands in the national top 10

The complaints aren’t limited to one area. Four Florida cities—Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Orlando—all ranked in the top 10 nationally fo