FDCPA Suit Filed Over Repossession Through a Locked Gate
- Forget letters and phone calls. This week’s complaint involves a tow truck, a locked gate, and a 3:30 a.m. repossession of a pickup the plaintiff says he wasn’t even in default on. The repo agent, and the dealership that hired it, are now facing FDCPA and Florida state-law claims. How did they allegedly get past the gate? Read on.
- More details here
- This series is sponsored by WebRecon
Paoletta’s Financial Literacy Remarks Offer Preview of His CFPB Priorities
- Days before he took over the Bureau, Mark Paoletta gave a speech that now reads like a roadmap, and it includes a blistering shot at Rohit Chopra’s tenure that he punctuated with the words “disgraceful and anti-American.” What he wants the CFPB to do instead, and what it means for how long the enforcement pause lasts, is worth your full attention.
- More details here
Case Over Collection of DMV Fee Survives Dismissal Motion, Then Settles
- Can a $7 DMV printout, plus a bounced check fee and a penalty, count as a “debt” under the FDCPA? A federal judge in Washington said the defendants hadn’t proven otherwise, reasoning that “the FDCPA does not ask whether the buyer haggled.” Then, eight days later, the case took one more turn. See how the judge drew the line between fees and taxes.
- More details here
State Appeals Court Upholds Judgment for Debt Buyer
- A consumer challenged a debt buyer’s chain of title, disputed a minimum payment that jumped nearly 300%, and blamed a one-day-late filing on a health issue. The Court of Appeals of Indiana wasn’t persuaded on any of it. The ruling is a useful blueprint for what documentation carried the day, and a reminder of how courts treat pro se litigants who miss deadlines.
- More details here
Cash-Strapped HOAs Send More Delinquent Accounts to Collections, Foreclosure
- HOA foreclosure filings are up nearly 40% in two years, outpacing the mortgage market, as insurance premiums and reserve mandates squeeze associations into aggressive collections. It’s a growth area for the industry, but one that comes with a flashing warning label. Find out why plaintiff’s attorneys and state legislators are already circling.
- More details here
Mass. AG Reaches $500k Settlement Over Rental Junk Fees
- Massachusetts’ junk fee rules aren’t theoretical anymore. A Boston property manager is paying $500,000 over lease renewal fees, a mandatory “benefits package,” and collection practices that included pyramiding late fees and pursuing legal costs without a judgment. The AG’s office is calling it a template. Anyone collecting tenant debt in the Bay State should read this one.
- More details here
What Chime’s 10% Workforce Cut Says About AI’s March Through Financial Services
- Chime is cutting 10% of its workforce after AI took over 70% of its customer support interactions and 84% of its shipped code. It’s the latest in a fintech layoff wave that has claimed nearly 140,000 tech jobs this year, and the automation math behind it should look very familiar to anyone running an ARM contact center.
- More details here
WORTH NOTING: More consumers are enrolling in credit counseling services … For the first time in 50 years, more people are buying new homes instead of existing ones, which are usually cheaper … To a lot of people, merging finances is a bigger step than getting married … Why people opt to consult a chatbot instead of, or before, going to a doctor … How to revive an old computer for your kid … The states holding primaries today that could be the key to the midterm elections … Padded bras are at the center of a scandal at the women’s Tour de France … It’s more than just em-dashes. How to spot AI-generated content.
Trailer Tuesday, part I
Trailer Tuesday, part II
The Daily Digest is sponsored by TCN. Today, contact centers need to do more with less. TCN’s cloud-based predictive dialing tools and services help clients to leverage the most sophisticated inbound, outbound, and blended calling technologies available. TCN’s award-winning platform offers multiple features to assist in compliance while improving performance with no hardware, no monthly minimums, or maintenance fees. Call 866-745-1900 or visit tcn.com today.
