Debt collectors are regulated by the FTC on the federal level. At the state level, attorneys general are typically responsible for enforcing state and federal laws. A few local governments also separately regulate debt collectors. The laws that govern the ARM industry are civil, meaning that liability is almost always monetary. So a state’s attorney general will not file criminal charges against a debt collector accused of violating the law, rather, he/she will sue for damages. Collection laws include federal and state statutes that govern the proper operation of companies and personnel that work in the debt collection industry. The most comprehensive collection law is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Other federal laws that collectors must follow include the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the data security requirements of the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA).

See all Topics

ARM Firms Look to Self-Audits in Advance of CFPB Supervision

18 October 2012

Secrets to Defeating FDCPA Claims

18 October 2012

How Engaged is the CFPB with the ARM Industry?

17 October 2012

Promoters of Phony Debt Reduction Schemes Settle FTC Charges

17 October 2012

CFPB Report Finds Private Student Loan Borrowers Face Roadblocks to Repayment

16 October 2012

Debt Collection Law Firm Responds to Horrific Allegations in Lawsuit

16 October 2012

Paper Runs Response from ARM Industry to Series on Collectors

15 October 2012

More than 3,000 Debt Collection Suits Dismissed Per Class Action Settlement

12 October 2012

CFPB to Hold Field Hearing in Seattle on Debt Collection

11 October 2012

FTC Announces $1.6 million Settlement with Equifax and its Credit Information Customers

11 October 2012

Debt Settlement and Debt Collection: Friends, Foes and the FTC

11 October 2012

CFPB Complaint System Comes Under Federal Scrutiny

10 October 2012

UK Regulator Told to Pay Up in Debt Collection Row

10 October 2012

Paper Launches Investigative Series on Debt Collection

8 October 2012

ARM Attorneys Win Case Challenging New York City Debt Collection Law

5 October 2012

Mike Ginsberg on the Future of Collections

5 October 2012

FTC Announces Agenda for Robocall Summit on October 18

5 October 2012

Fake Courtroom Debt Collector Wins Right to Fight $1.2 million Fine

4 October 2012

Retail Customer Service Tips: A Primer for Debt Collection Agencies

3 October 2012

FDCPA Lawsuit Filings Continue Decline

3 October 2012