2014

A Georgia debt-collection company is the target of an investigation into tactics that federal prosecutors say were used to defraud more than 6,000 victims around the U.S. of millions of dollars. Williams Scott & Associates LLC intimidated people into paying more than they owed, sometimes by threatening arrest or saying it was working for the U.S. Justice Department, according to......

The year of 2014, which was rich in events and has set new challenges for the country, is drawing to a close. Russia has entered an unfavorable stage of the economic cycle, which will be influenced in the medium term by economic sanctions, falling of oil prices, devaluation and acceleration of inflation.  Negative processes in the economy have resulted in......

Court order prohibits defendants from continuing alleged deceptive practices and collecting debts and unnecessary fees. The penalty will be partially suspended for inability to pay in exchange for surrendered assets. A Houston-based debt collection company and its president have agreed to follow a federal court order prohibiting them from allegedly deceptive tactics they have been using to collect debts and unnecessary fees......

Ireland: Consumer debt judgments fell by 35% in April The courts awarded 331 bad debt judgments worth almost €19.3m against individuals and companies in April this year. The majority of these judgments were against consumers (226 judgments worth €14.6m). However, when compared to April 2013, this represents a drop of 35% on the number of judgments awarded (521) and a......

Ireland: Figures reveal that an average of 107 new companies and businesses were formed each day last month  2,783 companies and businesses were set up in Ireland last month (between the 1st and 26th) – an average of 107 per day. 1,233 of these were companies – a rise of just over 12% on the same period in 2013. Just......

Auto Lender Will Pay $5.5 Million to Settle FTC Collection Charges The Federal Trade Commission charged the company with collecting money consumers did not owe, harassment and disclosing debts to third parties. A national subprime auto lender will pay more than $5.5 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the company used illegal tactics to service and collect consumers’......

FTC Permanently Shuts Down Debt Collection Business At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has closed the Texas-based company after it allegedly used deception, insults, and false threats against consumers. The operation also charged unauthorized fees and the owner will surrender his assets. The owner of a Houston-based debt collection operation that the Federal Trade......

ACA Urges Support of Bill Encouraging U.S. Treasury to Privatize IRS Tax Collection A private and public partnership to recover taxpayers’ debt is an efficient alternative to prevent government program cuts or tax increases to make up for losses. ACA International, on behalf of third-party debt collection agencies in the U.S., is supporting legislation that would require the U.S. Department......

ACA Urges Support of Bill Encouraging U.S. Treasury to Privatize IRS Tax Collection A private and public partnership to recover taxpayers’ debt is an efficient alternative to prevent government program cuts or tax increases to make up for losses. ACA International, on behalf of third-party debt collection agencies in the U.S., is supporting legislation that would require the U.S. Department......

Bailiff powers in England and Wales cut under new laws Restrictions on entering homes and seizing propery are praised by campaigners who say industry is rife with abuses Bailiffs are to be banned from entering homes at night and from using physical force against debtors under new laws coming into effect this weekend. Further changes will also prevent enforcement agents......