The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) was enacted in 1977 to protect consumers from abusive, unfair, and deceptive practices by third-party debt collectors. The law details when and how a collector may contact a debtor. The government enforcer of the law has historically been the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), but some regulatory duties may be shared with the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection housed within the Federal Reserve, created in 2010. The FDCPA is a strict civil liability law, which means that a consumer need not prove actual damages in order to claim statutory damages of up to $1,000 per violation plus reasonable attorney fees.
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The Most Treacherous Place for Debt Collectors in the U.S.A.
15 March 2012
FDCPA Lawsuits Increase in Second Half of February
15 March 2012
Lying Down with Big Dogs: JPMorgan Chase
14 March 2012
FDCPA Reform Bill with "Foti Fix" Gains Industry Support
12 March 2012
CFPB Director: National Plan Needed for Debt Collection Regulation
7 March 2012
Consumer Insight Drives Collection Call Compliance and Risk Mitigation
5 March 2012
FDCPA and Other Consumer Lawsuit Statistics, February 1-15, 2012
1 March 2012
Debt Collector Settles with Georgia for $15.5 Million
1 March 2012
Barney Frank Files Bill Exempting Collectors from Liability on Voice Messages
29 February 2012
FDCPA Lawsuits in 2011 Revised Up Over 12,000
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Consumer Attorney Endorses CFPB Collection Oversight; Sun Rises
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Protecting Consumer Rights? ...Not Exactly
23 February 2012
insideARM.com Poll Results: The Bartmann Ethical Debt Collection Practices Act
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Bartmann Ethical Debt Collection Practices Act: Amusement and Concern
22 February 2012
FTC Halts $5 million Debt Collection Scam Operating in India
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That Time Hollywood Video Tried to Collect Some Bad Debt
22 February 2012
Can the CFPB Make Debt Collectors Reveal their Privileged Documents?
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insideARM.com on Forbes: Michael Klozotsky on Debt Collectors as "Chopped" Liver
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Pennsylvania = Freedom! for Credit Card Defaulters
21 February 2012