Consumer attorney Craig Thor Kimmel spoke with Eyewitness News via Skype about consumers’ rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: PA Home Page posted the video on their website here: Know Your Rights with Debt Collectors – video has been taken down, link removed.
Hackensack law firm Forster, Garbus & Garbus has agreed to pay $35,000 to settle claims that it filed hundreds of debt collection suits against consumers without individual attorney review. The firm allegedly violated the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. 1692e(3), by giving a false impression that an attorney was involved in the…
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Beginning on July 21, the debt collection industry will be monitored closely by two regulatory agencies– the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) and the newly formed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The FTC has been around for many years but the CFPB was created to reform the financial industry and better protect consumers, resolve widespread consumer…
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleges that debt collection agency, West Asset Management, violated the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) on multiple occasions, leading to thousands of consumer complaints. Century Negotiations President Amy Michalo-Rojas urged clients, and the general public, to stay informed about these types of cases so they can recognize when a…
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Foreclosures and falling home prices continue to plague Americans all over the country. According to a report by 60 Minutes, banks that want to foreclose on homes can’t find the original ownership documents. Where did they go? It turns out that corners were cut by lenders and their investors on Wall Street by not maintaining…
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In most cases, people who receive collection calls accrued the debt themselves and have fallen behind on their payments. In some instances, however, these charges are a result of identity theft. Because people rely on technology to pay bills and make banking transactions, it is important to stay protected against hackers and Internet fraud. The…
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The story surrounding Capital One’s $286 million demand letter is making headlines across the Country, everywhere from National Public Radio to The Consumerist to the UPI wire.
Regardless of what kind of medium debt collectors use to reach consumers, they are prohibited from revealing information to third parties and cannot make false, deceptive, misleading or harassing representations.
These debt collectors view their violations of the FDCPA as a business decision instead of a lawful requirement that may must abide by.
“…the FTC received more complaints about the debt collection industry than any other industry. In 2009, the FTC received 119,364 complaints about first- and third-party debt collectors, up from 104,766 in 2008—an increase of nearly 15,000 complaints.”