As the deadline to submit comments about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposed debt collection rule inches closer, a new crop of comments have been published that oppose the provisions proposed by the CFPB, more than likely stemming from the efforts of a consumer advocacy group.
More than 450 identical comments were published yesterday, and they seem to be taking a slightly different tactic than previous advocacy-driven campaigns. This time, the comments acknowledge there are “some good elements” to the proposed rule, flattering the CFPB, before the individuals get into everything that they don’t like about the proposed rule.
As with most comments that have come from consumers or consumer advocacy groups, the new batch of comments oppose the number of communications that the proposed rule will allow collectors to have with consumers, oppose that consumers will not have to opt in to receiving text messages, emails, or messages via social media, oppose the collection of debt where the statute of limitations has expired, and oppose the limited content message that collectors would be able to leave and not be subject to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
“Its time the CFPB returned to its mission of protecting consumers rather than deregulating the financial services industry,” the consumers all say in their comments. “As is, the proposed rule rolls back existing consumer protections by authorizing more ways for debt collectors to harass consumers.”
To date, about 6,400 comments have been published, many of them from consumers who oppose the provisions of the proposed rule.
