According to the agency, the proposal seeks to establish protections against harassment by debt collectors and straightforward options to address or dispute debts. The NPRM addresses issues including the number of calls per week that debt collectors can place to reach consumers, a clarification of how collectors may communicate lawfully using digital messaging that came into effect after the FDCPA was passed in 1977, and the requirements that collectors must follow when providing information to consumers to help them identify debts and respond to collection attempts.
“The Bureau is taking the next step in the rulemaking process to ensure we have clear rules of the road where consumers know their rights and debt collectors know their limitations,” said CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger. “As the CFPB moves to modernize the legal regime for debt collection, we are keenly interested in hearing all views so that we can develop a final rule that takes into account the feedback received.”
