On September 25, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom approved Senate Bill 908 – enacting the Debt Collection Licensing Act (DCLA). The DCLA, which takes effect January 1, 2022, requires a person or entity engaging in the business of debt collection in California to be licensed and provides for regulatory oversight of debt collectors by the […]
Debt Collection
New CFPB Chief Rohit Chopra Confirmed by Senate and Takes Immediate Action Against Big Tech Firms
A&B Abstract: On September 30, 2021, the Senate confirmed Rohit Chopra to serve as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in a 50-48 vote along party lines. He had been serving as a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) where he had been a vocal critic of big tech companies and advocated […]
The Hunstein Case: Upending Servicing and Debt Collection?
A&B Abstract: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, covering Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, recently decided in Hunstein v. Preferred Collection and Management, Inc., that a debt collector’s communication with its third-party vendor violated section 1692c(b) of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”), which prohibits a debt collector for communicating, in connection […]
What Do the CFPB’s and FTC’s 2020 Debt Collection Activity Forecast for 2021?
On March 22, 2021, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its 2020 annual report to Congress on the administration of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The CFPB’s annual report follows the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) annual letter to the CFPB regarding the FDCPA, publicly released on March 19, 2021. The annual report highlights both agencies’ efforts […]
CFPB Issues Statement Encouraging Financial Institutions and Debt Collectors to Allow Stimulus Payments to Reach Consumers; Creates Potential Consumer Confusion
A&B ABstract: Without additional guidance, the recent statement from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) about stimulus funds may create consumer confusion. CFPB Raises Concern About EIP Funds Reaching Consumers On March 17, 2021, Acting CFPB Director Dave Uejio issued a statement regarding consumers’ access to Economic Impact Payment (EIP) funds distributed through the American […]