On November 4, 2015, the Ohio Attorney General announced that it had filed a civil enforcement action against a regional debt collection company. The lawsuit is part of an ongoing partnership with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other federal agencies to investigate abusive debt collection practices. Enforcement Watch previously…
On November 4, 2015, the Washington Attorney General announced five enforcement actions against debt collection companies. The enforcement actions are part of an ongoing partnership with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other federal agencies to investigate abusive debt collection practices. Enforcement Watch previously reported on the FTC partnership, named…
On November 4, 2015, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a new enforcement initiative targeting debt collection companies. The initiative, which is known as “Operation Collection Protection,” involves partnerships with state authorities to investigate debt collectors and prosecute civil and criminal enforcement actions against debt collection companies engaged in illegal…
On September 16, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it had entered a stipulated order with a debt collection services provider over allegations that the debt collector violated the Federal Trade Commission Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by misrepresenting to payday loan recipients that they were delinquent on their debts, collected millions…
On September 16, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it had entered a stipulated order with the financing arm of a Texas auto dealer to settle allegations regarding the auto dealer’s credit reporting practices. In its simultaneously filed complaint, the FTC alleged that the auto dealer violated the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Fair Credit…
On August 4, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it had reached a settlement with a national credit repair company and its officers over allegations that they misrepresented the nature of the services provided to Spanish-language consumers. The complaint, filed on March 16, alleged that the company charged consumers up-front for credit repair services, falsely claimed…
On July 10, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it had entered into a consent order permanently banning a state debt relief services provider from advertising or providing debt relief services. The complaint, filed on January 26, alleged that the provider violated the Federal Trade Commission Act and Telemarketing and Consumer…
On July 10, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it had entered a consent order with affiliated auto dealerships that allegedly misrepresented to consumers that auto payment programs or add-on products would save them money. The consent order prohibits the dealerships from representing that any payment program or add-on product or…
On June 9, 2015, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it provided its 2014 Annual Financial Acts Enforcement Report (the “Report”) to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) and the Federal Reserve Board. The 23-page Report, dated May 29, 2015, provided information about enforcement and related activities involving Regulation Z (Truth in…
On May 21, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that its “Messaging for Money” enforcement campaign resulted in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York issuing a temporary restraining order against a debt collector who, according to the FTC’s complaint filed on May 11, allegedly told consumers via text messages that legal actions had been filed…
On May 21, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that its “Messaging for Money” enforcement campaign resulted in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York issuing a temporary restraining order against a debt collector who allegedly sent misleading text messages trying to trick consumers into telephoning the company. The FTC’s complaint, filed on May…
On May 21, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that its “Messaging for Money” enforcement campaign resulted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia issuing a temporary restrining order against a debt collecter who allegedly sent threatening text messages to consumers. The FTC’s complaint, filed on May 11, alleged…
On April 10, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California had issued a temporary restraining order against a company offering mortgage-relief services to borrowers in financial trouble. The FTC’s complaint, filed on March 31, alleged that the company violated Section 5(a)…