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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Davis Wright Tremaine Partner to Speak at FFIEC Authentication Guidance Examination Live Webcast
23 December 2011
FDCPA Ruling in Favor of Collector Defines One Aspect of "Communication"
22 December 2011
Doing it Wrong: Puffy Cheek Bandit Tries to Use the FDCPA in a Non-FDCPA Way, Fails
22 December 2011
FTC Wins $300,000 Debt Collection Case Against Payday Lender
19 December 2011
FDCPA Lawsuits Continue Downward Slide in November
14 December 2011
Debt Collection Cease and Desist Letters: The Unintended Consequences
6 December 2011
FDCPA Lawsuits Fall Again in First Half of November
30 November 2011
Even the Dictionary Hates Debt Collectors
21 November 2011
Weekly Wrap-Up Podcast - Week of November 14
20 November 2011
Court Ruling Favors Debt Collector; Provides Some Direction on "Harassment"
18 November 2011
NARCA Urges Supreme Court to Reject "Meaningful Involvement" Doctrine
17 November 2011
FDCPA Lawsuits Fall Slightly in Second Half of October
17 November 2011
Top Reasons Why Consumers Sue Debt Collectors
16 November 2011
NoLA District Attorney May Get $300k from Collection Lawsuit Against Gambler
14 November 2011
Doing it Wrong: Debt Collector Becomes Sex Collector, Says ABC 24
11 November 2011
Judge Sues Newspaper Over Debt Collection Stories
11 November 2011
Collection Agency Makes $4.3 Million Debt Cancellation Deal with State Enforcement Office
9 November 2011
"Return of the Billionaire Huckster" on Forbes.com (Spoiler: it's Bill Bartmann)
3 November 2011
Compliance with FTC Policy Causes FDCPA Class Action Lawsuit
3 November 2011
FDCPA Lawsuits Fall Back to Normal; Approach 10,000 for the Year
2 November 2011