Archive for 'Debt Collectors'

Debt Collector’s Door Hangers Lead to Certified Class Action

On September 17th, 2014, a federal judge certified a class action alleging that Safeguard Properties LLC broke the law when it hung “please call” notes on the doorknob of a homeowner in an attempt to obtain a return call. Door hangers were...

New York State Establishes New Rules for Debt Collectors

New York State just took a major step in protecting consumer rights in credit card collection cases. The state recently updated its requirements for debt collectors when filing credit card collection cases against debtors, aiming to put a stop to...

CFPB Pursues Georgia Firm for “Cookie-Cutter” Debt Collection Lawsuits

Imagine having paid-off a debt only to receive a legal notice years down the line insisting you owe more money. That’s what happened to Eduardo Austin of Atlanta, GA, who paid off a $2,400 credit card bill only to discover...

FTC Takes $4 Million Action Against Deceptive Debt Collector

“Convenience fees” never seem to be all that convenient, do they? Although convenience fees are common to countless businesses and service providers, these charges become an entirely different monster when a company illegally pushes them on its customers. RTB Enterprises,...

Debt Collectors, Business seek to rob TCPA of consumer protection thru money, influence, and lobbying the FCC. Sadly, the FCC is listening.

Michael O’Reilly, a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission, caught the attention of consumer advocates, businesses, debt collectors, legal professionals, and others when he wrote in a March 25 blog that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act needs clarification. TCPA lawsuits...

Debt Collectors Settle with FTC for $3.3 million, Permanent Ban from Collecting

The Federal Trade Commission Thursday announced a settlement in a long-running case against two debt collection agency owners and their network of companies that threatened lawsuit and arrest over debts consumers often did not owe. The two principal owners of...

What to Do If You Get Calls on a Debt That Isn’t Yours

Spoofing: Debt collectors sleight of hand dialing for dollars

As debt collectors become more invasive in contacting consumers, spoofing has been utilized with greater frequency. Spoofing is a calling scheme that allows a telephone caller to fool the caller ID system of the recipient. Unfortunately, the law has yet...

Class Action Suit Filed Against NJ Law Firm Debt Collector Pressler & Pressler

A deceptive-practices lawsuit against Pressler & Pressler, New Jersey’s largest collections firm, is moving forward as a class action. U.S. District Judge Katharine Hayden in Newark certified a class of individuals who allege misrepresentations in a form letter they received...

Chase To Pay $389 Million Over Illegal Charges For Credit-Monitoring Services

JPMorgan Chase has agreed to pay out nearly a billion dollars to close investigations related to the 2012 “London Whale” trading fiasco, and now is told it must pay out $309 million in refunds and $80 million in penalties over...

Glendale-Based Debt Collector Fined $1M for Violating the FDCPA

A Glendale, California-based debt collector will pay $1 million dollars to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the defendants violated federal law. This is the first FTC action against a debt collector who used text messaging to attempt to collect...

New York: Consumer Fair Debt Collection Practices Rights Trampled On

New report blames “Sewer Service,” “Robosigning,” and lack of legal representation Last month the New Economy Project (NEP), a New York-based non-profit advocacy group, released its report detailing abuses in New York courts that are to blame for overburdening the...