COLLECTOR TO PAY MORE THAN $900K IN RESTITUTION, FINES AFTER BEING SUED BY WASHINGTON AG
- The Attorney General of Washington yesterday announced an enforcement action against a collection agency for alleged unlawful debt collection practices, including assessing fees and costs to individuals without not collecting any money from them, operating without a license for more than a year, and failing to offer legally required garnishment exemptions to hundreds of Washingtonians. Under the terms of the consent decree, the collection agency will repay individuals approximately $475,000 in restitution and $250,000 in erased fees, along with $414,000 to the AG’s office to cover the costs of the investigation and to help fund additional investigations.
JUDGE HOLDS DEBT BUYER LIABLE FOR ACTIONS OF COLLECTOR IN PARTIALLY GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S MSJ IN FDCPA CASE
- On remand from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, a District Court judge in Oregon has partially granted a plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment, ruling that a debt buyer who places accounts with a debt collector can be held vicariously liable for the actions of the debt collector, because the debt buyer “bear[s] the burden” of monitoring the activities of the debt collector when collecting debts on the debt buyer’s behalf.
NEW LAW IN ARIZONA CHANGES HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR JUDGMENT CREDITORS
- A bill has been signed into law in Arizona that raises the homestead exemption on judgments to $250,000 from $150,000, but has “gutted the protections” that were previously included in the state, according to one bankruptcy attorney, because the law now allows any judgment to be attached to a home and allows judgments to be paid out when a homeowner refinances his or her mortgage.
TRADE GROUPS OPPOSE CALL BLOCKING PETITION
- A number of financial services trade associations — including ACA International — have filed a comment opposing a petition from a telecom organization that seeks to give voice service providers more flexibility when notifying consumers of calls that have been blocked. The comment requests that the Federal Communications Commission use the notification mechanisms that it has already authorized.
WORTH NOTING: A cicada is being blamed for an accident in Ohio that totaled a vehicle … A retired nun turned to embezzling to fund a nasty gambling habit … Home prices are at near-record highs … The health problems that all those Zoom meetings are causing you (but don’t let that stop you from signing up for my webinars and Talk-Offs) … A lot of kids and teachers are getting ready for summer school … The best laptops for work, entertainment, and gaming … Why everything you need is getting more expensive … Tools to help you improve your writing … People are quitting their jobs at record rates.
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