Federal Trade Commission
Protecting America's Consumers
FTC Will Host Debt Collection Workshop
On 30th Anniversary of Fair Debt Collection Practices Act,
October Forum to Weigh Effects of Industry Changes
The Federal Trade Commission staff will host a workshop on October 10-11, 2007, to learn about changes in the debt collection industry and to examine how those changes have affected consumers and businesses. The event will bring together consumer advocates, industry representatives, state and federal regulators, and market authorities to provide information on a range of issues, including the effects of technological and economic trends on how consumer debts are collected, and the extent to which the law has kept pace with developments during the past 30 years.
To aid preparation for the workshop, FTC staff welcomes original research, surveys, and academic papers regarding consumer debt collection issues. These materials are due by September 7. More information on the workshop will be forthcoming shortly.
The workshop is free and open to the public; it will be held at the FTC’s Satellite Building Conference Center, 601 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/complaint.shtm. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to thousands of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Frank Dorman,
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2674
STAFF CONTACT:
Thomas Kane or Catherine Harrington-McBride,
Bureau of Consumer Protection
202-326-3224