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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FTC Announces $4 million Action Against Debt Collector Over Convenience Fees
25 June 2014
Former CFPB Employee: Debt Buyers in the Bureau's Crosshairs
24 June 2014
Dials, Contacts, and the Difference: Collection Calls to Consumers
20 June 2014
FDCPA Case Ruling on Convenience Fees Having Impact on Collectors
19 June 2014
Judge Rules Against Collection Law Firm in FDCPA Voicemail Case
13 June 2014
ACA Submits Amicus Brief in Debt Collector’s Statute of Limitations Case
5 June 2014
FTC's Recent Enforcement Action Sets New Debt Collection Standards
2 June 2014
FTC in $5.5 million Debt Collection Settlement with Auto Lender/ARM Firm
30 May 2014
FDCPA Lawsuits on Track for Third Straight Year of Declines
29 May 2014
Collectors are Watching the CFPB on Time-Barred Debt
29 May 2014
Collector Wins Arbitration and Defeats FDCPA Class Claims
23 May 2014
Debt Collectors to Pay More than $4 million in FTC Settlement
22 May 2014
Try This at Home: Maximizing Your Collector Performance
20 May 2014
FTC Gets Lifetime Debt Collection Ban and Large Fine for Agency Owners
20 May 2014
FDCPA Fix for Attorneys Gets Companion Bill in U.S. Senate
19 May 2014
Webinar Shows How to Increase Collector Productivity While Mitigating Collector Risk
15 May 2014
Court Rulings Have Shaped Landscape for FDCPA Rulemaking
15 May 2014
FDCPA Amendment Would Limit Lawsuit Cost Awards to Debt Collectors
13 May 2014
Take insideARM.com's 1-Minute Debt Collection Topic Survey
13 May 2014
"Frequent Filer" FDCPA Cases Defeated With Trifecta of Victories
30 April 2014