Daily Digest - July 24, 2026

🎂Happy Birthday: Steve Flite of National Recovery Agency, Jeff Willyerd of TCN, Trina DeWeese of Pinnacle Financial Partners, David Patterson of ARCO Collection Services LLC, Karley Gloede of GoodLeap, James A. Zadoorian of ARxChange, and Joshua Liska of Superlative RM.

🎉Congratulations for starting new positions: Michael Sarkis as Senior Data Science Manager at 2nd Order Solutions.

NEW AI SURVEY … CLOSING SOON

Have 90 seconds to help me out? Take this quick survey, sponsored by TCN, on how you are using AI, what you like about it, and what frustrates you.

New Digital Communications Report

The industry is optimistic. Placements are expected to climb. Consumers, it turns out, are more ready for digital than the businesses serving them.

New AI Event!

I am thrilled to announce a new live conference I am hosting. It’s an AI conference for the credit and collection industry. It will be held in Denver this September. Check out getbrainstorming.com for more information. And watch the video below to see me showcasing my outdoor skills.

If you are interested in being a speaker at the event, click here.

New Training Bytes Video Released!

Check out the newest Training Bytes video! Each week, an expert from the accounts receivable management industry will share how he or she would handle different scenarios that collectors often face. This week, Jenna Leigh Guyton from Americollect answers the question, “Do we want consumers who are engaging with AI while they're talking to a collector?” Thanks to Peak Revenue Learning for sponsoring this series! Click on the image below to view this week’s episode!

Missing License Number in Text Message Leads to Rosenthal Act Suit Against Collector

• Not every lawsuit reads like a dimestore detective novel. This one comes down to a single detail in a single text message, and it could cost the defendant up to $12,500. For anyone texting consumers in California, the complaint is a reminder that the state's licensing requirements come with disclosure obligations that follow you into every written and digital communication. See what was allegedly missing, and which section of the Rosenthal Act the plaintiff is invoking.

• More details here.

• This series is sponsored by WebRecon

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY’S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Judge Dismisses FCRA Suit Against CRAs, Rejects Attack on Automated Dispute Process

• A dentist argued that "a machine does not 'consider' anything. It processes data." The three credit reporting agencies she sued argued the only fact they were required to know is that she did not pay. A federal judge in Nebraska has now weighed in on whether a machine-to-machine dispute verification process can qualify as a reasonable reinvestigation under the FCRA, and his answer will matter to every furnisher and CRA fielding disputes at scale. Read how he handled the CARES Act argument, the business-account-on-a-personal-file claim, and the notation "999-NO ID SCAN."

• More details here.

CFPB Nominee Pledges 'Open Mind' on Staffing, Doesn't Break with Vought at Confirmation Hearing

• Brian Johnson would inherit an agency whose supervision and enforcement have been largely frozen for 18 months, an examination staff slated to shrink from 350 to 77, and a plan to cut the remaining workforce by two-thirds. At his confirmation hearing, he laid out three priorities and answered pointed questions from Sens. Warren, Van Hollen, and Gallego about whether he intends to be anything other than a continuation of Russell Vought. His answers offer the clearest signals yet about how the Bureau will operate under permanent leadership.

• More details here.

Appeals Court Affirms Denial of Injunction in Software Trade Secrets Fight Between Fintech and Bank

• A healthcare revenue cycle technology company accused its longtime bank partner of reverse engineering its payment platform and asked a court to shut down the competing product. The Eighth Circuit said no, and its reasoning should give pause to anyone drafting vendor agreements: the contract's own injunctive relief clause could not save the motion, because a federal court is not "a recorder of contracts from whom parties can purchase injunctions." Find out why the limitation of liability clause backfired, too.

• More details here.

State Appeals Court Affirms Judgment for Collector in Medical Debt Case

• The defendant argued Medicare was responsible for her hospital bill, accused the trial court of "obvious court bias," and claimed the judge ruled against her to generate revenue for the court. The Court of Appeals of Indiana had a different view, affirming a $4,501.15 judgment for the collection agency and offering a useful reminder about what pro se litigants must still prove, and what collectors need to show, when a signed financial responsibility form is on the table.

• More details here.

Data Breach Victims Top 471 Million in First Half of 2026, Already Eclipsing All of Last Year

• More breach notices have been issued in six months than there are people in the United States, and the ITRC says consumers should simply assume their data has been exposed. Financial services was the most frequently targeted sector, ahead of healthcare, which points to more fraud claims, more disputes, and more scrutiny for anyone collecting on consumer accounts. One driver of the surge: North Korean operatives infiltrating U.S. companies as remote IT workers. The full numbers are worth your attention.

• More details here.

Survey: Middle-Income Families Cutting Back and Taking Second Jobs as Costs Outrun Paychecks

• The share of middle-income Americans who say their income is falling behind the cost of living just hit the highest level in the survey's recent history, and the financial cushions that keep consumers current on their obligations are thinning. Delayed medical and dental care is up 21 points since December, a trend with obvious implications for healthcare receivables. There is also a finding in here for anyone deploying AI in consumer communications that you will want to see.

• More details here

WORTH NOTING: Back-to-school costs are climbing, and more families are turning to BNPL to help ... Microsoft's new AI model claims to be able to cut costs by 90% compared with OpenAI ... Uber is cutting 10% of its customer service team as it embraces AI ... Orcas are able to make fish explode and they might be doing it as a game ... A lot of Americans believe in human-robot love these days ... Parents share their best back-to-school hacks ... A handful of tips to help you be a kinder neighbor ... More and more people are paying people to wait in line for them.

Funny Friday, part I

Funny Friday, Part II

Webinar Recap: Stop Means Stop: Handling Revocation & Opt-Outs Everywhere

The webinar explored how agencies must handle consumer revocation requests across all communication channels - texts, calls, emails, and letters. Panelists Scott Della Ventura, Nabil Foster, and Stephanie Strickler emphasized that while “revocation,” “opt-out,” and “cease communication” often overlap, each carries unique legal obligations under TCPA, FDCPA, and related regulations. As Nabil Foster noted, “If they say stop, everything stops,” highlighting the upcoming FCC “all revoke rule” in January 2027, which will require agencies to treat any stop request as a global cease across all channels. The discussion underscored the importance of technology, staff training, and prompt compliance to avoid litigation and maintain consumer trust.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• Broaden detection systems: Agencies must capture revocation signals beyond “stop,” including misspellings, emojis, and natural language phrases like “lose my number.” As Scott Della Ventura warned, “When you open a channel of communication, you better be able to receive what’s coming back.”

• Honor requests promptly: Compliance requires that stop requests be processed before the next outbound communication. Delays—even over weekends—can expose agencies to TCPA or FDCPA lawsuits.

• Prepare for 2027 compliance: The FCC’s all revoke rule will eliminate distinctions between channels. Agencies should align processes now to treat revocation as global, reducing risk and ensuring consumer-friendly practices.

The panel agreed that compliance is both a legal necessity and a business strategy. As Stephanie Strickler noted, “It’s a fun little puzzle every day,” but one where missteps can be costly. Agencies that adopt expansive, consumer‑friendly interpretations of revocation requests will be better positioned to avoid litigation, protect their bottom line, and build trust with consumers.

Did you know you can get full access to all of my past webinars, along with transcripts and summaries of each, for only $29/month? Sign up to be a premium subscriber today!

The Daily Digest is sponsored by TCN