18 U.S.C. Sec. 894 is a federal law that makes it illegal for someone to use extortion, violence, or threats to collect a debt. Specifically, it prohibits the use of “any threatening letter or communication or the use of any other means of communication in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent to extort money or any other thing of value” in order to collect a debt. The law also prohibits any person from knowingly participating in a debt collection enterprise that uses such extortionate means. There are two types of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 894 Extortionate Collection of Debt: criminal extortion and civil extortion. Criminal extortion is a federal crime punishable by imprisonment and fines. Civil extortion is a civil offense that can result in monetary damages and other remedies, such as injunctive relief.