On February 22, the Fourth Circuit clarified in a published opinion what communications constitute a qualified written request (QWR) under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). The Fourth Circuit held that “where a written correspondence to a loan servicer provides sufficient information to identify the account and an alleged servicing error, such correspondence is
Kim Gershen
Kim is an attorney in the firm’s Consumer Financial Services practice, with a focus on mortgage lending and servicing, including foreclosure, bankruptcy, and debt disputes.
It’s All in a Name: Debt Collector Wins Summary Judgment Based on Name Provided By Its Client
Finding that the defendant debt collector was entitled to rely on the information provided by its client about the name of the debtor, a district court judge in Washington state granted summary judgment in favor of Puget Sound Collections, Inc. (PSC) in a Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) case. Angela Campbell v. Puget Sound…
Massachusetts District Court Denies Credit Repair Company’s Motion to Dismiss in Case Brought by the CFPB
A federal district court judge in Massachusetts denied a credit repair company’s motion to dismiss a case brought by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the state of Massachusetts alleging that the company made false representations about customers’ ability to improve their credit rating and requested payment in advance of full performance, in violation…
Recent Amendments to West Virginia Consumer Credit Protection Act Signal a Move to Level the Playing Field
On March 18, the West Virginia legislature passed Senate Bill 5, amending the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act (WVCCPA). The amendments will apply to all causes of action filed on or after June 16, 2021, the effective date of the amendments.
The amendments signal a continuing trend in West Virginia toward equalizing…
In Certifying FDCPA Letter Class, Northern District of California Finds That Whether the Underlying Debt Was Incurred for Personal or Business Purposes Does Not Defeat Predominance
A district court judge in California has certified a FDCPA letter class involving billing and collection letters sent by a collection company used by Hertz car rental agency. The plaintiff in DeNicolo v. Hertz Corp. alleges that the letters, sent to consumers after Hertz allegedly discovered damage to the returned rental cars, were attempts…
Tradeline Status Not Threatening Imminent Legal Action Is Not a FDCPA Violation
In Guzman v. I.C. Sys., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42595, 2021 WL 861914 (E.D.N.Y. Mar 8, 2021), Carolina Guzman (plaintiff) alleged that I.C. System, Inc. (defendant) violated the FDCPA by reporting to Experian that her debt to Sprint was “[s]eriously past due date/assigned to attorney, collection agency, or credit grantor’s internal collection department.” Id.…
The Northern District of Illinois Dismisses Motion to Compel Arbitration in a FDCPA Class Action, Emphasizing the Dangers of an Inadequate Corporate Declaration
In Frank Gilbert v. I.C. System, Inc., the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois denied the defendant’s motion to compel arbitration in a FDCPA class action, holding that the corporate declaration offered by the defendant was insufficient to prove that the plaintiff actually saw and agreed to the account terms…
CFPB Weighs in On the Side of the Debt Collector in FDCPA Dispute Over $0.00 in Interest and Fees
Recently, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed an Amicus Curiae brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit addressing whether a debt collector violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by accurately stating that it is seeking to collect $0.00 in interest and collection fees, including when interest and collection fees…