Economics: Today and Tomorrow © 2008

"Collecting Information on the FDCPA"

Introduction
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was enacted in 1977 to protect debtors from unfair and abusive collection practices. Did you know that professional debt collectors have their own association that provides information not only to the collector, but to the debtor as well? Go to the American Collectors Association Debt Collection Web site to learn more about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the rights of the debtor.

Destination Title: The American Collectors Association Debt Collection Web Site

Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window.
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Directions
Start at The American Collectors Association Debt Collection Web site.

• Point to the "Consumers" topic and then click the "Consumer Education" link.
• Click on the link entitled "Your Rights Under the FDCPA." Review the document, and then go back to the Education page.
• Read through the site, taking notes as you go. You may click on other topics in this site, such as "What To Do When You Receive A Collection Notice" (in English or Spanish), to complete your research.

1			What serves as "notice" that the debtor has been contacted about a bad debt?
2			Under the FDCPA, what kind of debt collection is regulated? What kind is not?
3			List the ways in which a debt collector may contact a debtor about a delinquent debt.
4			List the actions that debt collectors may not do.
5			In this site, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is presented from the perspective of the professional debt collector. Write a paragraph summarizing your impressions of how the FDCPA is explained on this Web site. How did the writer of the Web site influence your impressions?