| What is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)? |
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is meant to prevent abusive practices by debt collectors.
The Act helps the consumer ensure fair debt collection. The consumer can dispute the claims of a
debt collector, and ask for validation of his debt information. The FDCPA has laid down guidelines
to show how a debt collector may conduct his business and how he may not. It also sets down a
consumer’s debt collection rights. There are penalties for violations of the Act.
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What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act? |
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulates how a consumer’s credit information may be collected,
disseminated and used. The FCRA is one the important Acts that are the basis of a consumer’s rights
in the matter of consumer credit. The FRCA ensures that the consumer’s rights are protected and that
a consumer can get any incorrect or inaccurate information in his credit report to be corrected.
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What is the Fair Credit Billing Act? |
The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) protects the consumer from unfair billing practices.
The Act also provides a way for the consumer to deal with errors in billing in credit
accounts such as credit cards and charge card accounts.
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Do the laws differ from state to state in the US? |
Yes. Firstly, the FDCPA, the FCRA and the FCBA are federal laws. In addition, several states have their
own laws in the area of consumer rights and consumer protection. For example, the states of Ala Alaska
Ariz Ark Cal Colo Colo Conn Del DC Fla Ga Haw Idaho Ind Iowa Kan Ky La Me Md Mass Mich Minn Miss Mo NH
NJ NM NY NC ND Ohio Okla and Or have their own fair debt collection laws.
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