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 Defines FDCPA Suit Filing Period in Split Decision

11 October 2013

How Much Do You Really Know About Collection Attorneys?

10 October 2013

Collectors Can't Disclose Debts to Third Parties, But Governments Can?

7 October 2013

Debt Collection Companies Stand Up to Scammers

1 October 2013

Industry Veteran Nancy McLaughlin Offers a Closer Look at Columbia Ultimate's Compliance Management System

30 September 2013

NCO Group Gets Collection Letter FDCPA Class Action Dismissed

30 September 2013

FDCPA Lawsuits Continue Steady Decline as TCPA Suits Rise

27 September 2013

FTC Settles with Debt Collector for $1 million in its First Text Messaging Case

25 September 2013

Judge Dismisses Case that Named 12 ARM Firms and Questioned Entire Collection System

24 September 2013

DOMA's Downfall has State-by-State Impact on Debt Collectors

17 September 2013

CFPB Addresses Collection of Time-Barred Accounts, But More Guidance Needed

17 September 2013

A Closer Look at Compliance with Industry Expert John Bedard

17 September 2013

CFPB Joins FTC in Amicus Brief on Debt Collection Case

9 September 2013

Hang-ups and Charge-offs: Experts Explain Debt Collection Compliance

4 September 2013

Pennsylvania Introduces Bill Requiring More Debt Collector Disclosures

3 September 2013

Ask the Attorney Webinar Tackles Collection Call Controversy

3 September 2013

Trial Court Slams Professional FDCPA Plaintiff, Awards Defendant Attorney's Fees

30 August 2013

The Hot Topic of Compliance Remains Front-And-Center for ARM Professionals

29 August 2013

CFPB’s Advice to the Consumer Answers 85 Frequently Asked Questions

27 August 2013

Federal Court Allows Consumers to Curb Robo-Calls from Debt Collectors

23 August 2013