Student Debt
A federal judge refused General Revenue Corp.’s request to dismiss a class action accusing it of using illegal tactics to collect on student loans.
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Court Balks at Unencrypted Collection-Letter Barcodes
Collection letters stamped with barcodes that pull up account numbers when scanned are just as illegal as printing the account numbers on the envelopes, the Third Circuit ruled Monday.
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Appeals Court Probes QR Code With Private Data
A company found to have violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by enclosing collections letters in coded envelopes pushed the Third Circuit for a reversal Thursday.
Read moreSupremes Set Sanctions Rule for Bankruptcy Collections
Creditors can be held in contempt, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday, if they go after debts that objectively appear to have been discharged in bankruptcy.
Read moreHigh Court Agrees to Limit Removal of Class Actions
Offering a narrow view of procedures governing class actions, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Tuesday that a new defendant cannot remove such a case from state to federal court after an original defendant files a counterclaim bringing in the new party.
Read moreOcwen Loans
A federal judge granted final approval to a $21.5 million class settlement against Ocwen Loan Servicing for violating debt-collection and telemarketing laws.
Read moreRobocall Loophole Defeated at Fourth Circuit
The fight against robocalls got a boost Wednesday when the Fourth Circuit struck down a loophole carved out for the collection of federally backed loans.
Read moreLawyers Duck Debt-Collector Liability at Supreme Court
A law firm that carried out a nonjudicial foreclosure against a homeowner who defaulted on his loan does not qualify as a debt collector, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.
Read moreSupreme Court to Settle Spat on Debt-Collection Lawsuits
The Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide if it is the date of a violation or the date of discovery that starts the clock to bring a federal complaint against a debt collector.
Read moreDebt Collector Is as Debt Collector Does, 3rd Circuit Says
A company that tapped a debt collector to go after delinquent accounts is still itself a debt collector, the Third Circuit ruled Friday.
Read more4th Circuit Critical of Uncle Sam’s Robocall Loophole
Defending a loophole to robocall laws carved out by Congress for the collection of federally backed loans, a lawyer for the government faced tough questions Wednesday at Fourth Circuit oral arguments.
Read moreDebt Collectors Can’t Dodge DA Letterhead Suit
A prior settlement and $50,000 fine do not absolve debt collectors from claims that they used government seals and letterheads to trick consumers into paying illegal fees, a federal judge said Thursday.
Read moreDebt Collector Settles Consumer Complaints for $9M
A debt collection agency will have to pony up $9 million for violating California and federal consumer protection laws, according to a settlement announced Wednesday.
Read moreSupreme Court Takes Up 5 Cases for Start of New Term
In a batch of five cases taken up for the start of the October term, the Supreme Court agreed Thursday to review claims over a fishing trip that turned fatal when public utility workers attempted to raise a downed power line from the Tennessee River.
Read moreDefanged Consumer Watchdog Shows Its Teeth in Court
Despite assuming a less aggressive watchdog role under its new leadership, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Tuesday defended its lawsuit against a debt relief company accused of deceiving borrowers.
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