Posts tagged as:

FTC

What Debt Collectors Can and Cannot Do

January 26, 2010

The Federal Trade Commission has posted a video on their website and YouTube outlining consumers’ rights when contacted by debt collectors.
If you have been contacted by a debt collector, watching the video is a good place to start learning about your rights.
(photo: bisgovuk)

Read the full article →

More Consumer Rights On the Way?

November 18, 2009

A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) urges legislators to revise the Fair Debt Collection and Practices Act (FDCPA) to give consumers more rights.

Read the full article →

Debt Collection Cheatsheet

September 17, 2009

The FTC has a great, four-page overview of consumer rights relating to debt collection. Some of their tips include:

Debt collectors can only contact you between the hours of 8AM and 9PM.
If you want to stop debt collectors from contacting you, you must make a request in writing. Once the debt collector receives your letter, they [...]

Read the full article →

Debt Collectors Can Still Use Robocalls

September 2, 2009

As of September 1, 2009, telemarketers cannot make prerecorded commercial calls to customers without obtaining written permission in advance. Debt collectors, however, do not fall under the new FTC rule, because their calls are apparently “informational messages.”
Phone calls from debt collectors are still subject to the FDCPA, of course.
Other purely informational messages include flight notifications, [...]

Read the full article →

Federal Trade Commission Accepting Public Comments on Debt Collection Litigation

August 27, 2009

On Tuesday, the FTC will hold a free roundtable in San Francisco, open to the public, on debt collection litigation and arbitration. The FTC is seeking public comments in advance of the event, and some of the existing public comments are, well, interesting.
Debt buyers Midland Credit Management, Asset Acceptance, and Portfolio Recovery Associates whine that [...]

Read the full article →

Debt Collection Scammers Often Worse Than the Real Thing

August 17, 2009

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has put out an emergency alert regarding bogus debt collectors that have recently been praying on consumers. The fake debt collectors are often just as nasty as real debt collectors can be, if not worse.
If you are contacted by a debt collector and think it is a scam, here are [...]

Read the full article →

Gift card dangers

December 10, 2008

With the holidays coming up, I am sure many will be buying a gift card or two, or at least thinking about it. But, just a reminder about the hazards and pit falls of gift cards. The FTC has some great tips on gift cards, which you can find after the jump.
But this year, pay [...]

Read the full article →

Nationwide Debt Collector Will Pay $2.25 Million to Settle FTC Charges

November 21, 2008

“Academy Collection Service, Inc. and its owner, Keith Dickstein, have agreed to pay $2.25 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that Academy and its collectors misled, threatened, and harassed consumers; disclosed their debts to third parties; and deposited postdated checks early, in violation of federal law.” Nationwide Debt Collector Will Pay $2.25 Million to [...]

Read the full article →

Friday link roundup

November 14, 2008

If I am posting less than you would like, it is because I am busy working for my clients. Here are the links I haven’t had the time to comment on from the last week or two:

What’s Worse Than Inflation? Deflation. | Consumerist
The Wall of Debt (Financial Voyeurism) | StopBuyingCrap.com
Terrific Online Saving Sites | Terri’s [...]

Read the full article →

FTC teaches kids about consumer issues

October 30, 2008

Set in a mall, the FTC’s new “You Are Here” website for kids is an attempt to reach out to kids and teach them about consumer issues. Mostly, it focuses on advertising and marketing.
The site is a bit lean; there is nothing to keep kids coming back. But it does a decent job of getting [...]

Read the full article →

The FTC Will Never Ask You For Money Because You Won The Lottery. We Promise.

October 24, 2008

The FTC Will Never Ask You For Money Because You Won The Lottery. We Promise. | Consumerist

Read the full article →

Defendants in Debt Collection Scheme Aimed At Hispanics Agree to Settle FTC Charges

June 5, 2008

“Two defendants have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges for allegedly victimizing Spanish-speaking consumers nationwide by posing as debt collectors seeking money the consumers did not owe.” Defendants in Debt Collection Scheme Aimed At Hispanics Agree to Settle FTC Charges [FTC News]

Read the full article →

A consumer’s guide to the internet

April 21, 2008

The internet holds a wealth of resources for consumers. From bad customer service to your rights under consumer protection laws to how to represent yourself in a lawsuit. It can be difficult to find all of that information, however, so here is a (partial) “beginner’s guide” to consumer information available online.

Read the full article →

Debt collection complaints going up; what to do if you get a call

March 22, 2008

According to the FTC, consumer complaints about debt collection abuse were up significantly in 2007 (PDF link). This is hardly surprising, as debt has been plentiful and cheap lately. Complaints will almost certainly go up in 2008, since credit card borrowing is way up along with credit charge-offs.

Read the full article →

Credit card payoff through debt management/credit counseling programs: be careful!

January 1, 2008

Our next-door neighbor in our office building, Tara McCarthy, was quoted in a Star Tribune article about a family who paid off $35,000 in credit card debt over four years and eight months. John and Cheryl Martin racked up their debt, but, as John said, “we really didn’t have much to show for all the [...]

Read the full article →

Complaining to the Federal Trade Commission

December 16, 2007

Although regulatory bodies in the United States do not seem to have much ability or incentive to do much to help consumers, a well-placed complaint may nevertheless help change public policy in the long run. If nobody complains, nobody knows. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection is charged with enforcing consumer protection [...]

Read the full article →