Debt collectors are regulated by the FTC on the federal level. At the state level, attorneys general are typically responsible for enforcing state and federal laws. A few local governments also separately regulate debt collectors. The laws that govern the ARM industry are civil, meaning that liability is almost always monetary. So a state’s attorney general will not file criminal charges against a debt collector accused of violating the law, rather, he/she will sue for damages. Collection laws include federal and state statutes that govern the proper operation of companies and personnel that work in the debt collection industry. The most comprehensive collection law is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Other federal laws that collectors must follow include the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the data security requirements of the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA).

See all Topics
Arms of 5 business people holding up different colored large "quote" marks [Image by creator Sergey Nivens from AdobeStock]

Support for Balanced Debt Collection Regulations From an Unlikely Source

27 November 2019

Referee indicating timeout [Image by creator sixdays from AdobeStock]

Debt Collector Accuses Lexington Law of Destroying Evidence in Lawsuit on Credit Dispute Letters

26 November 2019

Photo of hourglass with sand all in the bottom [Image by creator Zerophoto from AdobeStock]

CFPB Regulatory Agenda Marks Final Debt Collection Rule for 2020...And the Clock is Ticking to Avoid CRA Nullification

25 November 2019

Phone with "voice mail" text on it [Image by creator iQoncept from AdobeStock]

Ringless Voicemail Defendant Keeps Up the Pressure With Motion to Strike Plaintiff’s Expert Report

25 November 2019

Person holding a cup of popcorn and a remote pointed at a television [Image by creator rcfotostock from AdobeStock]

Legitimate Debt Collector or Scam? CFPB Releases Video to Educate Consumers on Spotting the Differences

21 November 2019

A robot in a thinking pose against a backdrop of white letters that appear to be flying through the air [Image by creator phonlamaiphoto from AdobeStock]

Capital One Asks the FCC To Make It Easier For You to Communicate With its Very Polite Texting Robot: Here’s Why That’s a Good Thing

20 November 2019

Drawing of a school of white fish against a green background [Image by creator maxsattana from AdobeStock]

Eleventh Circuit Holds That Court Abuses Its Discretion Certifying a TCPA Case Containing Uninjured Class Members

19 November 2019

Image from a dictionary showing the word leg-is-la-tion [Image by creator Art of Success from AdobeStock]

Federal Robocall Legislation Update

18 November 2019

 [Image by creator dvalmas from AdobeStock]

A 5-Step Dive into HIPAA Compliance for Email and Text

14 November 2019

Image of a neon bright yellow outline of a wired phone handset against a black background [Image by creator SergeyNivens from AdobeStock]

Sergei Lemberg Joins the Unprecedented Podcast to Discuss TCPA After Regaining His Status as TCPAWorld’s Top Filer

12 November 2019

Image of road sign that says "Massachusetts Welcomes you" [Image by creator spiritofamerica from AdobeStock]

Mass. AG Enters $4M Settlement with PRA for Allegedly Violating Consumer Protection Laws

11 November 2019

US Capitol Building [Image by creator Gary from AdobeStock]

A Push for FDCPA Amendments: Four Bills Introduced to Amend Different Provisions of the Statute

11 November 2019

A white computer keyboard with a large green key that says "Payment" [Image by creator ArtemSam from AdobeStock]

Pass-Through Online Payment Processing Fees are Exceptions to FDCPA, Says N.D. Ill.

7 November 2019

 [Image by creator Frank Fennema from AdobeStock]

Prevailing TCPA Plaintiff Sues Debt Collector's Insurer for Bad Faith Failure to Settle the Case Within the Policy's Limits

7 November 2019

A stack of mobile phones [Image by creator goir from AdobeStock]

Subpoenaed Cell Phone Records Cost Plaintiff $3k—Better than $56k Though

7 November 2019

Business man yelling into a megaphone [Image by creator motortion from AdobeStock]

Second Circuit Double-Hitter: Neither "$0.00" Nor "N/A" in Debt Itemization Confuses Consumers about Static Debts

6 November 2019

Microphone sitting on table [Image by creator olegkruglyak3 from AdobeStock]

The State of Collections: TransUnion and Aite Group Release Report, Outline Challenges and Present Optimistic Future

5 November 2019

 [Image by creator aerogondo from AdobeStock]

Talk About Scary: Manual Calls Might be Dialer Calls, Landlines Might be Cell Phones and More TCPA Facts and Stats to Freak You Out

4 November 2019

Toddler looking confused [Image by creator Chris Mautz from AdobeStock]

No, Sending Information to Your Mail Vendor is Not Third-Party Disclosure, Says M.D. Fla.

31 October 2019

Microphone sitting on table [Image by creator olegkruglyak3 from AdobeStock]

New Calif. Law Removes Attorney Exemption from Rosenthal Act "Debt Collector" Definition

31 October 2019