Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

Summary

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act - Prohibits debt collectors from harassing or intimidating consumers in connection with the collection or attempted collection of any alleged debt arising from a consumer credit transaction. Sets forth conduct violating this Act, including the use of threats of violence by a debt collector. Prohibits communication with any person other than the consumer owing the debt or the spouse without prior consent of the consumer. Prohibits false or misleading representation or impersonation in connection with the collection of an alleged debt. States that no debt collector may engage in specified unfair practices. Sets forth civil penalties for violation of this Act and states that the Federal Trade Commission shall enforce it. Requires the Federal Reserve Board to establish a Bureau of Consumer Redress to function as a consumer controversy resolution mechanism. Directs the Board to perform enumerated duties, including: (1) allocate and pay to the States funds appropriated for financial assistance to States under cooperative agreements; (2) review the operation of each State plan for the resolution of controversies involving consumers which has been approved under this Act; (3) articulate and evaluate the goals for a model State system of consumer controversy resolution; and (4) report to Congress and the President on an annual basis.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 25 March 1977

  Open at official source

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.