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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Appeals Court Places Debt Collection Liabilities Under FDCPA on Creditor

14 November 2013

CFPB Director Cordray: Debt Collection Information is a Top Concern

13 November 2013

Bankruptcy FDCPA Case Dismissal Upheld on Appeal

11 November 2013

Consumer Complaint Data Shows Possible (and Preventable) UDAAP Issues

11 November 2013

Collection Industry Gears Up to Engage CFPB on Rulemaking

8 November 2013

CFPB Releases Debt Collection Complaints Data, and Here It Is

6 November 2013

CFPB Begins Rulemaking Process for Debt Collection Industry

5 November 2013

Compliance Headaches Shifting to TCPA as Environment Changes

5 November 2013

FDCPA Reform Bill Introduced in House; Focuses on Time-Barred Debt

4 November 2013

Top Predictions for the ARM Industry

1 November 2013

Homepage Poll: Damages Caps on TCPA Lawsuits?

31 October 2013

FOX News is Now Throwing Debt Collectors Under the Bus

30 October 2013

Original Intent of the TCPA Has Been Perverted: U.S. Chamber Paper

29 October 2013

FTC Has Court Shut Down Collector of Fake Payday Loan Debts

24 October 2013

TCPA Lawsuits Really Are Growing Compared to FDCPA Claims

22 October 2013

Free Webinar Looks at Consumer Complaint and Dispute Resolution

18 October 2013

Industry Attorneys Will Answer All of Your Voicemail/TCPA/Text Messaging Questions

18 October 2013

FDCPA Adds Unnecessary Layers of Collection Rules to Attorneys: Legal Panel

18 October 2013

"Precollect" Causes FDCPA Heartburn for Collectors and Creditors

17 October 2013

CFPB Provides Guidance on Mortgage Servicing Rules Under FDCPA

16 October 2013