Each week we bring you 10 of our most favorite stories from around the industry.

Week of October 3, 2010

1. Interactive Intelligence Acquires Latitude Software

(tradingmarkets.com, 10/08/10)

Interactive Intelligence, a provider of unified IP business communications solutions, has acquired Global Software Services, doing business as Latitude Software, a privately held provider of debt collection software and services.”

2. Jackson man sentenced in identity thefts

(clarionledger.com, 10/07/10)

A Jackson debt collector was sentenced today to five years and nine months in prison for stealing the identities of people with the same name.”

3. Movie Review: Breathless

(montrealgazette.com, 10/08/10)

Everything he does is violent: he slaps up women and calls them bitch (and worse), he beats his dad, he smacks his little nephew, and, oh, yes, as a professional debt collector, he attacks people in their homes so they’ll pay up.”

4. Disguised Debt Collectors Using Scary Social Media Tricks

(foxbusiness.com, 10/07/10)

Guess who’s viewing your online profile? If an image of the person you met at a friend’s party last week comes to mind you better guess again.”

5. Debt collector sued after calling consumer’s mom and dad

(louisianarecord.com, 10/07/10)

A debt collector is facing a lawsuit after a collection agent called the consumer’s parents and discussed the consumer’s debt.”

6. FDIC: Monterey County Bank agrees to $3 million settlement

(thecalifornian.com, 10/05/10)

A federal banking regulator announced today that Monterey County Bank has agreed to pay more than $3 million as part of a settlement stemming from allegations of deceptive banking practices.”

7. Report says Michigan among states that jail those who can’t pay debts

(detnews.com, 10/05/10)

Long banned in the United States, debtors prisons are returning in the form of debt-collection practices that send poor defendants to jail for not paying legal fees, according to two reports released Tuesday. Michigan was one of the states jailing people to poor to pay court and jail costs — even though the state constitution explicitly forbids the practice.”

8. FTC Proposes Policy Statement Clarifying How to Collect Decedents’ Debts

(docuticker.com, 10/05/10)

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comment on a proposed policy statement clarifying when the FTC will take action under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the FTC Act against companies trying to collect the debts of deceased consumers.”

9. Are local courts overstepping by helping bill collectors apply the screws?

(crosscut.com, 10/04/10)

The practice of suddenly jailing people who have failed to comply with collection requests comes close to violating a ban on imprisonment for debt. Judicial watchdogs are taking note and getting some relief, but many people desperately in debt are still helpless.”

10. State wins $23M from debt collector

(Chicago Sun Times, 10/04/10)

A Cook County judge ordered the law firm of Friedman & Wexler and its lawyers Mitchell Wexler and Norman Wexler to pay the damages as a result of a lawsuit the Illinois Student Assistance Commission filed in 2006.”

• CAN-SPAM Act
• Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA)
• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), FTC Staff Opinion Letters on the FDCPA, FTC Staff Commentary on the FDCPA
• Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
• Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)
• Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
• PCI-DSS
• Red Flags Rule
• Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
• Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
• Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
• U.S. Bankruptcy Code

Each week we bring you 10 of our most favorite stories from around the industry.

Week of July 11, 2010

1. CBE Group Employees Launch Internal Code of Ethics

(PRWeb.com 07/16/10)

Employees at an Iowa-based collection agency–CBE Group–have created a Code of Ethics “written by employees, for employees.”

2. FTC to probe courts’ jailing of debtors

(StarTribune.com 07/15/10)

Senator Al Franken urges the FTC to take action to prevent debt collections from “abusing the state court to reap profits.”

3. Utah collection agency agrees to $55,000 penalty and fees for work in Idaho

(IdahoStatesman.com 07/15/10)

Unlicensed debt collections costs Utah-based collection agency $55,000.

4. Confessions of former debt collectors

(CNNMoney.com, accessed 07/17/10)

Ten people share their debt collection experience.

5. NPR finds debt collectors using Facebook to track delinquent borrowers

(businessjournalism.org 07/15/10)

Debt collectors turn to social media to find assets and contact information.

6. Vt. attorney general alleges debt “relief” firms often make things worse

(TimesArgus.com 07/18/10)

Are those late night commercials too good to be true?

7. Automated Debt-Collection Lawsuits Engulf Courts

(The New York Times 07/12/10)

Writer Andrew Martin sheds light on how collection lawsuits are “straining” the court system.

8. Iowa resident sues Texas collection company over harassing telephone calls

(The Southeast Texas Record 07/12/10)

An Iowa man is suing over allegations that an agency called repeatedly and continuously with the intent to annoy, abuse, and harass him.

9. New bill may keep deadbeat dads from cell phones, state jobs

(HAARETZ.com, 7/13/10)

There is talk in Israel that “men who refuse to pay child support will be banned from public office, denied benefits from state institutions and forbidden from having mobile phones, if a new government bill is passed.”

10. Kids’ Money Questions: Mom, Are You a Deadbeat?

(The New York Times 07/12/10)

What would you tell your child if he or she questions why bills are going unpaid?

Each week we bring you 10 of our most favorite stories from around the industry.

Week of June 27, 2010

1. 11 arrested in Taipei for debt collection, betting operations

(The China Post 07/02/10)

The Criminal Investigation Bureau busts gang of illegal collectors and uncovers “… machetes, hammers, wooden sticks, and instant glue, among other items, which were used to assault debtors who failed to return loan fees … “. 

2. DebtCollector Harrasses, Threatens Local Family 

(WESH.com Orlando 07/01/10)

Debt collector caught on tape threatening arrest and harassing a consumer’s 10-year-old daughter.

3. Collection agency to put center in Augusta, GA

(Businessweek 07/01/10)

Convergent ERS to is bringing a new call center to Augusta, Georgia with hopes of hiring 400 employees over the next 18 months.

4. Payback? Consumer lawsuits against bill collectors skyrocket

(The Miami Herald, 07/02/10)

WebRecon’s Jack Gordon talks about the latest lawsuit statistics.

5. Missouri Court Dismisses Missouri Attorney General’s Lawsuit Against Portfolio Recovery Associates

(Market Watch, 06/29/10)

It’s rare these days to see a judge rule in favor of a collection agency, but that’s what recently happened in Missouri.

6. Debt Collector Calling Neighbors, Informing Them of Financial Trouble

(cbsatlanta.com, 06/28/10)

Contacting a consumer’s neighbor inspires investigative story. Video included.

7. CreditCard Debt Delinquencies May Lead to More Illegal Debt Collection, Creditor Harrassment, and Bankruptcy Filings

(Debt Free League press release, accessed on earthtimes.org 06/27/10)

Eric Santacruz, vice president of San Diego, California’s Debt Free League, offers some interesting predictions for the credit and collection industry.

8. Forget to pay court costs? You may get a call from a collection agency chasing unpaid fines, fees

(jacksonsun.com 06/27/10)

Florida clerk of court turns to collection agency for assistance in recovering $3.2 million in unpaid fines and court costs.

9. Portfolio Recovery Associates Appoints New Attorneys

(Portfolio Recovery Associates press release, accessed on insideARM.com 07/01/10)

Portfolio Recovery Associates’ Executive vice president and general counsel Judy Scott announces the addition of five new attorneys to the PRA team. New members include: Trey Huelsberg, Beaufort “Shawn” Martin, Franci Ware, Kevin Duffan, and Brian Pearson.

10. Very Competitive Field in ED Collection Performance Rankings

(insideARM.com, 07/01/10)

Cynthia Wilson offers the latest insight and statistics on the Department of Education’s third-party collection efforts.

Download a free copy of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s website.