March 15 was the deadline for the New York State Department of Financial Services to publish its proposed amendments to its debt collection rule. It didn’t and so they have expired. While the latest version of the proposed amendments has expired, you can bet on DFS releasing an updated version in the coming months.
Posts tagged as “compliance”
The New York Department of Financial Services and the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection are simultaneously engaged in amending their consumer debt collection rules. While the DFS rulemaking has been underway for nearly two years, the DCWP began its efforts last fall.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau increased the maximum civil penalty it can impose within its jurisdiction after Jan. 15, 2023. The increases are mandated by federal law, which requires agencies to adjust for inflation each civil monetary penalty within an agency’s jurisdiction by Jan. 15, 2023.
Just a few years ago, the annual review would primarily encompass federal activity. But a shift began in 2018, and by the close of this year, it’s clear there is far more state activity impacting consumer debt collection.
Continuing with the heavy trend 2022 has seen of both federal and state regulator focus on medical debt coming on the heels of the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate is taking aim at the collection of medical debt.
In a pair of recent enforcement actions, the Federal Trade Commission cracked down on companies with allegedly lax data security measures that resulted in the theft of personal information of millions of consumers.
The Superintendent for the New York Department of Financial Services recently announced a consent order assessing a $4.5 million penalty against a health insurance company for violations of the DFS Cybersecurity Regulations, 23 NYCRR, Part 500.
Beginning Jan. 1, businesses operating in the District of Columbia will face new challenges under the DC Council’s new debt collection law with costly penalties in place for those who don’t comply.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts recently denied a motion to dismiss FDCPA and Mass. Gen. Law. Ch. 93 and 93A claims, holding that a constable qualifies as a “debt collector” under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and a “creditor” under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93.
Insufficient data protection or information security can violate the prohibition against unfair acts or practices according to a circular released last week by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
On Aug. 11, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking input that will shape potential rules “to crack down on harmful commercial surveillance and lax data security.”
On July 29, 2022, the New York Department of Financial Services published pre-proposal draft amendments to its Cybersecurity Regulations, 23 NYCRR 500.00, et seq. , that if adopted will require covered entities to implement numerous policy and operational changes.