fair debt collection practices act

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is pumping up its budget for 2013, in part because it will start regulating large debt collectors and credit reporting companies, two sectors of that have heretofore had little federal oversight.

As part of its effort to crack down on scams that target Americans in financial distress, the FTC has sued more than 30 debt collection companies. On Wednesday, another one, Rincon Debt Management made the list and was shut down. Do you know your rights against abusive debt collectors?

A trustee for the now-bankrupt Hollywood Video and Movie Gallery chains has agreed to repair the credit reports of millions of consumers to settle allegations of misconduct by debt collectors hired to collect on the rental chains' accounts, according to a settlement announced by the attorneys...

We told you about the debt collection hassles endured by people shouldering a large amount of credit-card debt. Then we invited debt collectors to tell their side of the story. Both sides had a lot to say about just what goes on in the debt collection industry, but one assertion -- by the head of a...

Being in debt is challenging enough before you add the pressure of the debt collector.The nature of business doesn't lend itself to friendliness -- although they could give it a try once in a while. With so many people unemployed and the economy still gasping, more and more people are having to...