One of the largest debt buyers in the United States has been ordered to pay nearly $83 million in punitive damages to a Kansas City woman whom it had sued over a $1,000 credit card debt. Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC says it mistakenly...
Read MoreHarassing debt collectors seeking payment for “phantom debt” are becoming more common, says the FTC. Thousands of Spanish-speaking consumers were targeted by debt collectors Centro Natural Corp. and Sumore LLC, who tricked them into paying over $2 million in phantom debts....
Read MoreDealing with an endless barrage of debt collection calls is one thing, but when a debt collector demands that you pay a debt, threatening legal action even though you don’t recall owing any debt to begin with? That’s something else...
Read MoreThe Pew Charitable Trusts revealed on October 2nd that today’s online payday loans are overrun with abusive and deceitful practices. In their latest entry to the Payday Lending in America series, Pew observed that online and Internet loans are more costly when...
Read MoreOn 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...
Read MoreHave you been receiving pre-recorded messages or automated phone calls to your cellphone from debt collectors? It seems you’re not the only one. Last month, USCB Inc., a receivable and resource management company, agreed to a $2.75 million settlement that will be...
Read MoreThe 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...
Read MoreThe Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) has a number of complex stipulations that prohibit debt collectors from utilizing practices deemed as harassing. Although some laws within the act can be pretty straightforward, other policies are more complex. For years,...
Read MoreA 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...
Read MoreA resident of West Philadelphia is alleging that a debt collector has engaged in unlawful practices. Kimmel & Silverman, P.C. has filed a complaint against national debt collection company Virtuoso Sourcing, Inc., on behalf of Crystal Monroe. The lawsuit was filed on...
Read MoreBefore announcing its acquisition today of Asset Acceptance, Encore Capital Group (aka “Midland Funding”, “Midland Credit Management” and “MCM”) boasted that it has one out of every nine collection “accounts”. In the $200 million purchase of Asset Acceptance, Encore is...
Read MoreOn February 20th, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced victory, at least temporarily, in halting unauthorized credit card transactions involving thousands of consumers. The scammers charged credit cards for non-existent goods and services totaling more than $25 million, targeting financially...
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