On June 27, 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) announced approximately $2 million in fines and penalties against four credit repair companies and three associated individuals for allegedly misleading consumers and charging improper fees. Under two proposed final judgments that the CFPB filed in United States District Court for the Central District of California,
Florida District Court Dismisses Consumer’s “Current Balance” Claim
On June 30, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida dismissed a consumer’s Fair Debt Collection Practices Act “current balance” claim.
Plaintiff Heath Bryant brought an FDCPA claim against defendant Aargon Collection Agency, Inc., alleging Aargon’s collection letter was deceptive because it falsely implied that Bryant’s account balance would increase due to
Court Denies Cross Motions for Summary Judgment in Current Balance Case
On May 18, a federal judge in Missouri denied cross motions for summary judgment on the issue of whether a letter that did not inform a debtor that interest was, in fact, accruing violated the FDCPA.
In Mygatt v. Medicredit, plaintiff Timberly Mygatt incurred medical debt that was being collected by Medicredit. In order
USPS’ Motion to Dismiss Putative FCRA Class Action Denied by Wisconsin Magistrate Judge
A Wisconsin federal magistrate judge denied the United States Postal Services’ attempt to dismiss a Fair Credit Reporting Act putative class action, holding that the plaintiff’s complaint sufficiently alleged an injury-in-fact.
According to the complaint, plaintiff Rondo Tyus applied for a security clearance to work at the USPS. The USPS obtained a criminal background report,
Court Finds Lack of Attorney Meaningful Involvement Sufficient for Article III Standing
In what appears to be never-ending litigation, a New Jersey Federal District Court upheld a plaintiff’s summary judgment motion on remand from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, holding that the defendant law firm’s lack of attorney meaningful involvement created a particularized and concrete injury sufficient for the plaintiff to maintain
Supreme Court Declines to Weigh in on Spokeo in FACTA Lawsuit
The United States Supreme Court has denied a petition seeking review of a Seventh Circuit decision holding that a consumer lacked Article III standing to challenge an alleged violation of the Fair and Accurate Transactions Act where the defendant retailer printed more than the last five digits of his credit card number and the expiration
Employer Seeks Supreme Court Review of Ninth Circuit Finding of Willful FCRA Violation
On January 20, 2017, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision of first impression in Syed v. M-I, LLC, a putative class action, when it held that a prospective employer willfully violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act by including a liability waiver in its FCRA background check disclosure form.
In the underlying
IRS Debt Collector Engages in Unscrupulous Collection Practices
On June 23, several United States senators, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), accused a debt collector of relying on unscrupulous collection practices while collecting on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service.
The IRS is owed approximately $138 billion in back taxes. To reduce the backlog of taxes owed and to supplement the agency’s internal
New Consumer Finance Lawsuits Increase in May 2017, On Pace with 2016
New data from WebRecon reflects an increase in the number of consumer finance lawsuits filed during the month of May. After a sharp decline in the number of Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and Fair Credit Reporting Act lawsuits filed during the month of April, May saw a roughly 30% increase
Supreme Court Refuses to Extend the Scope of the FDCPA to Consumer Finance Company
On June 12, 2017, the United States Supreme Court rendered a unanimous decision holding that a company collecting debts that it purchased for its own account does not meet the statutory definition of “debt collector” under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) because the debts are no longer “owed or due another.” We previously