Daily Digest - June 13, 2025

Brought to you by: TCN | By Mike Gibb

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Mike Gibb
June 13, 2025

📝 EDITOR’S NOTE: Scroll down to the bottom for a recap of yesterday’s webinar.

🎂🎉 Happy Birthday to: Jennifer Hill of National Enterprise Systems, Eugene Pratasenia of Paydit, and Liza Parker of PRA Group.

Podcast Recommendations

Recommended by: Rae Lockard

Why Rae says you should listen: He is famous for creating Dilbert and despite his fatal cancer diagnosis, he runs his podcast daily. He has an interesting take on current events. I understand he is a trained hypnotist, has written best selling books and is considered an expert in persuasion. Being in the collection biz, I'd like to read his books.

Recommended by: Brian McLellan

Why Brian says you should listen: I love the Spitballers Podcast because it’s the perfect mix of clean humor, ridiculous debates, and top-tier dad jokes. Whether they’re drafting the best pizza toppings or arguing over life’s most useless superpowers, the guys always crack me up. It’s a fun, light-hearted podcast and is a nice change of pace.

📆 Monthly Meetings

I am excited to announced that I am bringing back two monthly meetings — Small Agency TechTactics, and the ARMTech Innovation Lab — while also announcing two more regular meetings — Women in Collections and Compliance Chat. Click on the links below to register for each meeting.

Logo Madness!

It’s time to start voting! Click on the logo you think is better to cast your vote. You can see the entire bracket here. Thanks to Drop Cowboy for sponsoring this year’s contest!

Suit Accuses Collector of Attempting to Collect Non-Existent Debt

  • An interesting twist in the normal debt collection process, kind of a man-bites-dog situation, along with yet another entry in the game of “is this a dispute or not” highlight this complaint that was filed in Minnesota District Court.

  • More details here.

  • This series is sponsored by WebRecon

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY‘S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

N.D. State Court Affirms MVN’s Safe Harbor in Case Over Dispute Notification

  • In a case that was defended by Jessica Klander and Nick Prola at Bassford Remele, a state court judge in North Dakota has granted a defendant’s motion for judgment on the pleadings in a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act case, ruling that its use of the Model Validation Notice entitled it to the safe harbors afforded by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over the plaintiff’s claims that it did not provide the required 30-day notice to dispute the debt.

  • More details here.

Judge Rejects CFPB’s Request to Vacate Settlement

  • A District Court judge in Illinois has rejected a request by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to vacate a settlement reached with a mortgage lender after it was accused of racial discrimination, saying that doing so would open a “Pandora’s box” that he refuses to unlock. The CFPB back in March filed a motion seeking to vacate the $105,000 settlement that it reached with Townstone Financial, claiming the case lacked merit.

  • More details here.

Top Finance Teams Use Gen AI to Slash Costs, Speed Decisions, and Elevate Performance: Report

  • A growing number of leading finance organizations are pulling ahead of their peers by leveraging generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) to reshape how work gets done, according to new research released by The Hackett Group.

  • More details here.

WORTH NOTING: How to bring home the best souvenirs when you are on vacation ... Experts weigh in on how often you should go to the dentist ... The city of Buffalo is changing the licensing term for collection agencies ... Is it any damn surprise that Americans top this list? ... Business and financial leaders share their summer reading lists ... Special Friday the 13th deals from Krispy Kreme and Chipotle ... The best graduation speeches from 2025 ... When it comes to dying, a lot of people aren't prepared.

Funny Friday, part I

Funny Friday, Part II

Webinar Recap: The Most Common State-Level Collection Changes You Might’ve Missed

As federal enforcement recedes, states are stepping up—and fast. In a webinar hosted by AccountsRecovery.net and sponsored by Sedric, a panel of legal and policy experts — Nathan Willner, VP of Government Affairs, NCBA, Bill Marohn, Managing Partner, Tobin & Marohn, and Josh Howell, an Associate at Troutman Pepper — broke down the flurry of recent state-level activity in debt collection regulation. From medical debt and coerced debt definitions to AI disclosures and bank garnishment exemptions, states are filling the regulatory vacuum with their own rules —and many carry serious operational consequences.

What’s happening: The panel covered legislative trends that are reshaping the regulatory landscape, including:

  • Expansions of medical debt definitions to include medical-related credit card purchases.

  • Automatic exemptions for bank account garnishments (with proposed thresholds as high as $5,000).

  • Increased involvement from state attorneys general in enforcement and bill sponsorship.

  • Bills redefining “coerced debt” and mandating complex proof or exemptions.

  • Efforts in states like California to apply FDCPA-like requirements to commercial debt.

Why it matters: Panelists warned that vague definitions, rushed amendments, and conflicting language could lead to compliance confusion and unintended litigation risks. With state legislatures in motion and AGs preparing to step in where the CFPB steps back, attendees were urged to monitor activity closely.

Key Takeaways:

  • Build Legislative Relationships Now: Summer is the time to connect with lawmakers before new sessions begin. Relationships drive outcomes.

  • Track the Right Themes: Focus on categories like medical debt, coerced debt, bank garnishment exemptions, and AI disclosures, regardless of state politics.

  • Leverage Third-Party Resources: From industry associations to the NCLC’s public bill trackers, use available tools to stay current—because even the most diligent insiders are missing things.

Did you know that premium subscribers get full access to transcripts, summaries, more highlights, and full recordings of every webinar? That’s thousands of hours of content, available for just $29/month for an individual subscription or $99/month for a company subscription. Click here to subscribe as an individual or email me to sign up your company.

The Daily Digest is sponsored by TCN