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).

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Prior Rulings a Challenge for CFPB in Suit Against Debt Collection Law Firm

4 August 2014

Massachusetts Division of Banks Clarifies State Debt Collection Provision

4 August 2014

Louisiana Looking for Collection Agencies to Work for New State Office

1 August 2014

Capital One and Three ARM Firms Agree to $75 million TCPA Settlement

31 July 2014

Managing ACA-Insured Patients

30 July 2014

2014 Data Shows Overall Rise in Debt Collection Lawsuits

29 July 2014

Debt Collection Becoming an Actual Issue in Hot State AG Election

28 July 2014

Washington Lawsuit Scrutinizes Use of Prosecutor's Seal on Debt Collection Letters

25 July 2014

Debt Collectors Seemingly Split on the Question of Calling Cell Phones

24 July 2014

New York Court Halts Debt Collector’s Operations, Freezes Assets

24 July 2014

Convenience Fee Payment Processing is Now Available through Payment Savvy LLC

24 July 2014

NJ Court Holds No FDCPA Violation for Filing Suit on Time-Barred Debt

24 July 2014

Present Capacity and Effective Consent: Two Parts of a Compelling TCPA Panel at ACA

23 July 2014

Ohio AG Accused of Giving Debt Collection Contracts to Donors

23 July 2014

Compliance Professionals in the Debt Industry Need Allies

23 July 2014

Sixth Circuit Broadens FDCPA Verification Requirements for Debt Collectors

23 July 2014

Debt Collector Opens Its Doors to ABC World News with Diane Sawyer

23 July 2014

CFPB Debuts Slightly Clunky Portal for Debt Settlement Complaints

22 July 2014

Debt Industry Responds to New York's New Rules for Collectors, Buyers

22 July 2014

Policy Preparedness: A CFPB Focus for Compliance Management

21 July 2014