Winter 2020-2021

Debt collection

	New federal debt collection rules coming in 2021
	The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's new two-part debt collection rule gives collectors unlimited electronic ways to hound you. It also requires debt collectors to notify consumers before posting debts on credit reports. Read the story.

	Key changes under new debt collection rules
	New debt collection rules issued by the CFPB update what collectors can and can't do while trying to collect a debt, including how often they can communicate with consumers. Read the story.

	Questions and answers about debt collection
	Our staff clarifies some of the key rights consumers have when contacted by a debt collector. Read the story.

	Your rights under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act
	The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) establishes debt collectors' obligations to debtors and prohibits them from harassing and abusing consumers. The law also lays out how debtors can legally demand a collector stop contacting them. The Debt Collection Rule codifies the FDCPA. Read the story.

	The FDCPA annual report: Debt collection complaints by the numbers
	Debt collection issues were once again one of the top complaints received by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in 2019, according to the 2020 Fair Debt Collection Practices annual report to Congress. Read the story.

	Tips and tools for dealing with debt collectors
	More than 70 million Americans have debt in collections--don't panic if you're one of them. Use our tips and tools to help you handle debt collectors if they contact you. Read the story.

	Sample debt dispute communications you can customize
	Some of the consumer rights around debt collection require that you take specific actions to verify that a debt is really yours, and to establish the way you want to communicate with a company that is attempting to collect a debt from you. We offer a sample letter and email you can personalize. Read the story.

Consumer Action
www.consumer-action.org

Consumer Action has been a champion of underrepresented consumers nationwide since 1971. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, Consumer Action focuses on financial education that empowers low- and moderate-income and limited-English-speaking consumers to financially prosper.

By providing financial education materials in multiple languages, a free national hotline and ongoing financial services research, Consumer Action helps consumers assert their rights in the marketplace and make financially savvy choices.

Advice and referral hotline

Submit consumer complaints to our hotline:
English: http://bit.ly/CA_hotline_ENG
Spanish: http://bit.ly/CA_hotline_ES
(415) 777-9635

Chinese, English and Spanish spoken

© Consumer Action 2021

You are currently subscribed to a mailing list of Consumer Action. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.