There are new statutory protections in place that will further protect consumers in mortgage and debt collection matters. Read below for a general overview of these protections.
Mortgage Servicing/Foreclosures
This month substantive amendments to regulations regarding mortgage servicing and foreclosures became effective. The banks fought these tooth and nail, but they are finally here. While amendments “tweaking” the regulations come down periodically, these are real changes that provide extra tools in helping homeowners fight foreclosure and fix servicing errors. For more information about these, contact our office.
Unsolicited Calls to Cell Phones
If a debt collector makes a call to a cell phone, they may be in violation of several federal statutes.
Identity Theft/Unauthorized Credit Card Charges
The well-publicized security breaches at Target and other retailers make identity theft, credit card disputes and credit reporting repair more relevant than ever.
Debt Collection
The 11th Circuit Court has recently generated some surprisingly consumer-friendly decisions under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA). This, together with tougher rules on calling cell phones, will make claims against aggressive debt collectors more viable. Also, the CFPB is due to issue new regulations under the FDCPA this year and this will likely improve the law in this area. The FDCPA is very good at solving problems and the statute is relatively user-friendly.
If you have experienced any problems that you believe are related to these areas, please contact our firm as we specialize in litigation under these statutes.