Debt buyer Encore Capital Group Inc. reported Thursday that total revenues in the third quarter ended Sept. 30 increased 16% to a record $273.3 million, compared to $235.6 million in the year-ago period.

Every day, debt collectors deal with people who have found themselves in tough and sensitive financial situations.

Three Colorado law firms accused of inflating foreclosure costs charged to homeowners and padding bills with unauthorized expenses agreed Thursday to settle lawsuits filed by outgoing Colorado Attorney General John Suthers.

Disaffected big bank customers are looking for a reason to switch. Community banks and credit unions should take advantage of this opportunity with a collective ad campaign that positions their institutions as friendly, helpful and morally upright alternatives to major lenders.

JPMorgan Chase said it's on track to eliminate 3,000 more jobs this year than previously forecast in its mortgage and credit-card divisions.

A Minnesota process serving company and one of its process servers are charged with falsely claiming some people were served with debt collection lawsuits, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson.

Ocwen Financial is making progress to settle allegations against it, but that does not mean it will be cheap, one analyst says. The current servicing freeze in the industry has grown so serious that some say it may be delaying the government’s goals to expand the availability of mortgage credit.

Fidelity Southern in Atlanta has agreed to buy deposits and loans from Florida Capital Bank.

MasterCard has agreed to buy the merchant payments unit of Transaction Network Services in Reston, Va.,a deal that would expand the e-commerce services offered by DataCash, MasterCard's payment processing subsidiary.

The City of Providence, R.I., has dropped its lawsuit against Santander Bank, over charges the bank deliberately failed to provide mortgages in minority communities.

Freddie Mac is growing its single-family business and taking market share from its fellow government-sponsored enterprise Fannie Mae.

Wells Fargo and Live Oak Bank were the top lenders in the Small Business Administration's 7(a) loan program, helping lead the agency program to its most successful fiscal year.

Banks are not closing branches fast enough to keep up with the exodus to online banking. The percentage of branches with low transaction volume is on the rise, according to a new study. Bankers say they are on the case, but there are obstacles to simply hanging a "closed" sign on the front door.

It has been three months since Bankwell Financial's CEO left abruptly. Some observers say it might make sense for Bankwell — and others in a similar spot — to consider selling while no change-of-control payout is involved.

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority is preparing to levy fines ranging from 225 million pounds ($358 million) to 250 million pounds against six banks in the first settlements in a global probe into currency manipulation allegations.

Beneficial Bancorp in Philadelphia could raise as much as $633 million through its second-step conversion.

Lack of diversity in the sales force is one of several nagging issues underlying mortgage lenders' concerns about tepid home sales.

Tucker, Albin and Associates Inc., a Richardson, Texas-based commercial debt recovery firm, has been certified by the Commercial Law League of America (CLLA).

Executives at The Intelitech Group and eBureau will lead a session Friday at ACA International's Fall Forum & Expo at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco.

City leaders in Charleston, W.Va. hope to recover an estimated $3.1 million in delinquent fees by publishing the names of the largest offenders on the city's website.