The total number of lawsuits filed by consumers claiming violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) increased in January on a year-over-year basis after an overall decline in 2012.
According to data from Web Recon, LLC, there were 932 cases filed under the FDCPA in January 2013, up seven percent from the number filed in January 2012.
In 2012 the total number of FDCPA cases filed against ARM companies fell 6.8 percent compared to 2011, the first year such a year-over-year decline was recorded. But cases claiming violations of other consumer statutes, most notably the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), were up sharply.
And the TCPA trend continued in January 2013. There were 153 lawsuits filed last month claiming violations of the TCPA, up 82 percent from the same period in 2012.
Related Content
- Collection Law Overview: A Look at the TCPA
- The Debt Collection Compliance Handbook
- Ask the Attorney Webinar Transcript – October 2012