Daily Digest – November 1. Lawyer Blames FCC For Spike In TCPA Lawsuits; FTC Investigation Leads To Industry Ban, $11M Judgment

The Daily Digest is sponsored by TCN, a leading provider of cloud-based call center technology for enterprises, contact centers, BPOs, and collection agencies worldwide. 

LAWYER BLAMES FCC FOR SPIKE IN TCPA LAWSUITS

• Eric Troutman, a defense attorney with the firm of Dorsey & Whitney who specializes in defending companies against Telephone Consumer Protection Act lawsuits is blaming the Federal Communications Commission for a spike in TCPA lawsuits and class-action filings by consumers. The number of lawsuits filed following the FCC’s 2015 Declaratory Ruling that overhauled the TCPA has more than tripled, according to Troutman’s analysis of data released by WebRecon. The number of lawsuits filed in the three-month period between July and September this year matched the total filed in the 12 months preceding the FCC’s changes.

FTC INVESTIGATION LEADS TO INDUSTRY BAN, $11 MILLION JUDGMENT

• A District Court judge has ordered two defendants to be banned from the collections industry, and, along with 13 companies that were collectively known as Federal Check Processing imposed an $11 million judgment. The court granted a request from the Federal Trade Commission for a summary judgment.

FCC ROBOCALL TASKFORCE UNVEILS NEW PORTAL, SHARES PROGRESS ON “DO NOT ORIGINATE” SOLUTION

• The Federal Communications Commission’s robocall taskforce met last week to discuss its progress. The FCC also announced the creation of a new portal aimed at providing tools and resources to consumers to prevent unwanted robocalls.  The taskforce also shared its progress in creating a “Do Not Originate” to prevent scammers from using legitimate phone numbers to trick individuals into answering calls. A test of the solution used by the Internal Revenue Service Results in a 90% drop in complaints from individuals about fake calls.

COMBINING HIGH TECH WITH HIGH TOUCH. THE CURE FOR HARMFUL MEDICAL DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES?

• As healthcare costs and the financial burdens placed on individuals for their medical expenses increases, those on both sides of the stethoscope have responsibilities, according to the co-founder of an organization seeking to eradicate medical debts. Technology and improved communication can help cure those ills.

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The Daily Digest is sponsored by TCN, a leading provider of cloud-based call center technology for enterprises, contact centers, BPOs, and collection agencies worldwide.