FTC Posts Agenda for Debt Industry Workshop

The Federal Trade Commission posted on its Web site last week a draft agenda for its October workshop on the consumer collections market though the agenda provides few details about firms or speakers that will participate.

The workshop “Collecting Consumer Debts: The Challenges of Change” is scheduled to run on October 10 and 11 at the FTC’s Conference Center on New Jersey Avenue in Washington, D.C. The agency plans to also offer a live Webcast of the conference.

The FTC plans to post participating firms and individuals within a week, said Thomas E. Kane, senior attorney in the FTC’s financial practices division and a coordinator of the workshop.

The workshop will open on Wednesday the 10th with remarks from FTC Chairman Deborah P. Majoras and offer two sessions with an overview and an introduction to the debt collection business today. Wednesday also will offer sessions or panel discussions on debt collection from a collector’s view, from a consumer’s view, and from the perspective of creditors.

The workshop on Thursday the 11th will begin with remarks from Lydia B. Parnes, director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. Other sessions or panels will cover locating the correct consumer, credit reporting and debt collection, litigation, and proposed solutions on the issues that the workshop has raised. The workshop will close with remarks from Peggy L. Twohig, associate director, Division of Financial Practices.

The FTC announced the workshop early this year with plans to explore the debt collection business with a focus on “the effects of technological, economic, and legal changes…and whether the FDCPA and other laws have kept pace with the developments.”

The FTC has posted 28 public comments on the industry, from industry trade groups, consumer advocates, collection agencies, law firms, debt purchasers, consumers, academics, and others.