RBI rules on loan recovery calls: timing, harassment and your rights.
Short answer: a bank, NBFC or its recovery agent can contact you about an overdue loan only between 8 am and 7 pm, unless you ask them to call at another time. They cannot threaten you, abuse you, call you over and over, call anonymously, lie about how much you owe, or harass your family, friends or colleagues. From 1 January 2027, RBI’s new rules add more: recovery calls must be recorded, agents must carry an ID card and an authorisation letter, and you must be told the agency’s details before the first visit.
Plain-English summary of RBI rules as of 14 October 2026, with links to the official text. Not legal advice.
Recovery calls in Hindi, short mein
Loan recovery wale sirf subah 8 se shaam 7 baje tak call kar sakte hain. Gaali, dhamki, baar-baar call, anonymous call, ya aapke family, dost aur office walon ko pareshan karna mana hai. 1 January 2027 se har recovery call record hogi, aur agent ke paas ID card aur authorisation letter hona zaroori hai. Pareshan kiya jaaye to pehle bank ke grievance officer ko likhiye, 30 din mein jawab na mile to RBI Ombudsman ko.
What the rules say today
RBI’s August 2022 circular applies to banks, NBFCs, asset reconstruction companies and all-India financial institutions, and to the recovery agents they hire. It bans:
- Threatening or abusive language, and threats of violence
- Calls before 8 am or after 7 pm
- Persistent calling, and anonymous calls
- False or misleading statements, especially about how much you owe
- Public humiliation, and intruding on the privacy of family members, referees and friends
- Inappropriate messages by phone or on social media
What changes on 1 January 2027
In August 2026 RBI issued new directions on conduct in loan recovery for commercial banks, small finance banks, co-operative banks, regional rural banks, NBFCs, housing finance companies and all-India financial institutions. They take effect on 1 January 2027. The main points, from the published text (example):
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Contact hours | Calls and visits only between 8 am and 7 pm, unless you ask for another time |
| Call recording | Recovery calls must be recorded, you should be told, and the lender keeps the recording for six months |
| Notice before a visit | The lender must share the recovery agency’s details with you at least one day before the first visit, and tell you if the agency changes |
| ID and authorisation | Agents must show an ID card and carry an authorisation letter and a copy of that notice, with the agency’s phone number and the lender’s grievance officer |
| Public list of agencies | Lenders must list their recovery agencies on their website |
| Inappropriate occasions | No recovery calls or visits during a bereavement, medical emergency, calamity or wedding |
| Grievance officer on every message | Every recovery communication must carry the grievance officer’s name, email, phone and address |
| Compensation | Lenders must have a policy to compensate borrowers for losses caused by recovery that breaks the rules |
The full list of “harsh methods” RBI bans
Under the 2027 directions, agents and staff must not use:
- Threatening or abusive language
- Social media posts with recordings or personal details of the borrower
- Inappropriate messages on mobile or social media
- Excessive calls or messages, or contact outside the allowed hours
- Threatening or anonymous calls
- Intimidating or harassing the borrower or their relatives, referees, friends or co-workers, or publicly humiliating them
- Violence, or threats of it
- False or misleading statements, especially about the amount owed
Can they lock my phone?
Only if the loan was for that phone. From January 2027, a lender can restrict a device only to recover a loan it gave for that same device, only if your loan agreement says so, and not before the loan is 30 days overdue (60 days before it can block outgoing calls). Incoming calls, SMS and emergency SOS must keep working. The lender cannot read your contacts, messages or photos. Once you pay, the restriction must be lifted within an hour; if the lender is late, it owes you ₹250 for every hour of delay.
How to complain about a recovery agent
- Write to the lender’s grievance officer. Their details must be on your loan papers and, from 2027, on every recovery message. Note the date, time and number of each call, and keep screenshots.
- Go to the RBI Ombudsman if the lender doesn’t reply within 30 days or you’re not satisfied. File free at cms.rbi.org.in.
- Threats, violence or a fake loan app? That’s a crime. Call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in, and go to the police. If the lender isn’t regulated by RBI at all, you can also report it on RBI’s Sachet portal.
For lenders: what to change before January 2027
- Record every recovery call, play a recording notice, and keep recordings at least six months.
- Log the time and number of calls to each borrower; RBI expects lenders to document this.
- Enforce the 8 am to 7 pm window in the dialler itself, not just in policy.
- Publish your agency list, send the pre-visit notice, and put the grievance officer on every message.
- Review calls for abusive language and repeat calling. With speech analytics you can check every call instead of a sample.
AI voice agents can take on reminder and early-bucket calls under these rules: they never call at 7:01 pm, they read the approved script, and every call is recorded and transcribed. See AI voice agents for loan collections and the TRAI rules for AI calls.
Quick answers
What time can recovery agents call in India?
Only between 8 am and 7 pm, unless the borrower has asked to be contacted at another time. This applies to banks, NBFCs and their recovery agents.
Can recovery agents call my family or friends?
They must not intimidate or harass your relatives, referees, friends or co-workers, or intrude on their privacy. RBI treats this as a prohibited harsh recovery method.
Are loan recovery calls recorded?
From 1 January 2027, RBI requires lenders to record recovery calls, tell the borrower, and keep the recording for six months from the date of the call.
How do I complain about loan recovery harassment?
Write to the lender’s grievance officer first. If there is no reply in 30 days or you are not satisfied, complain free to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in. Report threats or fake loan apps on 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
Can a lender lock my phone for a missed EMI?
From January 2027, only if the loan financed that phone, the agreement allows it and the loan is at least 30 days overdue. Incoming calls and SOS must keep working, and the lock must be lifted within an hour of payment.