Debt collection

Pennsylvania regulators filed a lawsuit against an operation that allegedly ran an illegal online payday loan scheme. The suit names several collection agencies as defendants.

An Orlando, Fla.-based operation that allegedly bilked seniors by using pre-recorded robocalls to sell supposedly free medical alert systems has agreed to shut down to settle charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission and the Florida attorney general's office.

A U.S. Treasury Department pilot program involving taking over the collection of defaulted student loan accounts could mean the work eventually will be pulled from private debt collection agencies.

A suburban Chicago collection agency was the subject of a television news report after a former employee spoke out about alleged collection tactics the agency uses to target unsuspecting consumers.

Markind Law Group, a Cherry Hill, N.J. debt collection law firm, has won a court ruling in a case brought by a consumer who argued an arbitration provision included in his sales contract for a Ford Fiesta couldn't be enforced by the firm.

A doctor and nurse in New York were arrested and charged with illegally billing Medicare and Medicaid, according to the state's attorney general.

A federal court has ordered two debt sellers that posted the sensitive personal information of more than 70,000 consumers online to notify the consumers and explain how they can protect themselves against identity theft and other fraud as a result of the disclosures.

A legal association's ethics committee on Wednesday issued an opinion finding that a growing practice by local prosecutors of allowing debt collection agencies to send demand letters - that suggest they came from the prosecutor - violates rules of professional conduct.

Hospitals are expected to save $5.7 billion in bad debt and charity care costs this year because of the Act.

DBA International has announced the addition of Helen Mac Murray as its attorney general consultant and Perry Communications Group Inc. as its new public affairs agency.

Consumer borrowing jumped to $3.28 trillion in September, up approximately $15.9 billion, according to the Federal Reserve’s monthly report on auto and student loans and credit card debt.

Debt buyer PRA Group on Monday reported third quarter net income increased 8% to $51.2 million on cash collections of $372.7 million, a 28% jump. Revenue in the quarter rose 21% compared to a year ago to $239 million.

As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau prepares to write nationwide rules for payday lending, a Colorado experiment is proving instructive.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office has sued Consumer Collection Advocates Corp. and Michael Robert Ettus, principal, for allegedly targeting consumers who were victims of previous frauds or scams.

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.

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.

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.