Report to the Senate from August, 2012, here. Read more
Grayson Bell has written “True Confessions of a Former Debt Collector,” in which he confirms many facts which consumers complain about, but which industries deny, including the following: Read more
Many people do not even know that there are guidelines on consumer protection from the United Nations, here. Read more
This entire 16-minute segment is definitely worth watching, here. With 1.8 million views on YouTube already, this insightful and often serious clip has the potential to impact policy and regulation. Pass it on. Read more
Bad Paper: Chasing Debt From Wall Street to the Underworld by Jake Halpern The New York Times Magazine has just published a cover story adapted from Jake Halpern’s phenomenal upcoming book, Bad Paper. You can read the entire article here. Because I can’t possibly capture Halpern’s outstanding writing style or story telling abilities, I offer… Read more
In what is probably an unprecedented move, a federal regulator has filed a lawsuit accusing a debt collection law firm of violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act because the law firm is a mill, and taking a factory approach to litigation. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that in filing over 300,000 lawsuits, there was a… Read more
Ever wonder who regulates what in terms of consumer finance? Here is a simple explanation of the federal regulators, all in one place, courtesy of The Consumerist. Read more
Instant Checkmate, Inc. and InfoTrack Information Services have agreed to pay civil penalties and stop their alleged illegal practices. The FTC press release is here. Read more
While it can take different forms, what we are seeing most often in Maryland these days involves 5 players: 1) a victim in foreclosure who has lots of equity in their home, usually between $100,000 and $300,000; 2) a mastermind con artist who swoops in and promises the help the homeowner “save their home” by… Read more