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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Municipal Fines and the FDCPA: Doesn't Count

21 March 2012

How Trustworthy is the FTC's Debt Collection Complaints Data?

20 March 2012

Former Debt Collector Not a Fan of Debt Collectors

20 March 2012

The Most Treacherous Place for Debt Collectors in the U.S.A.

15 March 2012

FDCPA Lawsuits Increase in Second Half of February

15 March 2012

Lying Down with Big Dogs: JPMorgan Chase

14 March 2012

FDCPA Reform Bill with "Foti Fix" Gains Industry Support

12 March 2012

CFPB Director: National Plan Needed for Debt Collection Regulation

7 March 2012

Consumer Insight Drives Collection Call Compliance and Risk Mitigation

5 March 2012

FDCPA and Other Consumer Lawsuit Statistics, February 1-15, 2012

1 March 2012

Debt Collector Settles with Georgia for $15.5 Million

1 March 2012

Barney Frank Files Bill Exempting Collectors from Liability on Voice Messages

29 February 2012

FDCPA Lawsuits in 2011 Revised Up Over 12,000

27 February 2012

Debt Collectors Struggling; Bartmann Prowling; CFPB! The Week in Opinion

24 February 2012

Consumer Attorney Endorses CFPB Collection Oversight; Sun Rises

23 February 2012

Protecting Consumer Rights? ...Not Exactly

23 February 2012

insideARM.com Poll Results: The Bartmann Ethical Debt Collection Practices Act

22 February 2012

Bartmann Ethical Debt Collection Practices Act: Amusement and Concern

22 February 2012

FTC Halts $5 million Debt Collection Scam Operating in India

22 February 2012

That Time Hollywood Video Tried to Collect Some Bad Debt

22 February 2012