Daily Digest - June 19, 2026

Happy Birthday to: Julie Garafolo of Zwicker & Associates, Joe Partain of JSP Consulting Solutions, LLC, Pawel Pindera of Credit Acceptance, Mark Josephsen of DCM Services, Ankit Agarwal of Trusting Social, Stuart Blair Korschun of Christian Community Credit Union, Michael Zoldan of Debt Sales Partners, and Tammie Coon of FinThrive.

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, Sherrika Newman from Revco Solutions shares advice on  how to handle consumers when it’s clear English isn’t their first language. Thanks to Peak Revenue Learning for sponsoring this series! Click on the image below to view this week’s episode!

Collection Law Firm Facing FDCPA Suit

• I will start this by saying I’m not quite sure what’s going on and what the plaintiff’s issues are, so there might be just as many questions when you are done reading this as you have right now. A collection law firm is being sued for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act because it filed a lawsuit to collect on an unpaid debt that did not exist, according to the complaint.

• More details here.

• This series is sponsored by WebRecon

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY’S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Economists Warn Inflation Pain Will Outlast Iran War, Squeezing Already-Stretched Consumers

• The consumers behind delinquent accounts are sliding deeper into what one credit counseling leader calls a “cycle of survival debt,” and economists say the pressure is unlikely to ease soon even if the Iran war winds down. For the credit and collection industry, the signals point to a population increasingly unable to cover basic costs, let alone catch up on existing obligations.

• More details here.

Apple Leans on AI to Lower Payment Friction

• Apple is rolling out a set of wallet and payment changes this Fall that lean heavily on artificial intelligence to strip friction out of consumer transactions, a shift that carries downstream implications for anyone tracking how, and how reliably, people pay what they owe.

• More details here.

State Appeals Court: Accepting Wrongfully Garnished Funds Is Not Illegal Collection

• The Wisconsin Court of Appeals has affirmed the dismissal of a couple’s Wisconsin Consumer Act lawsuit that accused an auto finance company of illegally continuing to collect on a debt after a court order halted collection.

• More details here.

Michigan Legislature Advances Medical Debt Curbs on Liens, Garnishment, and Interest

• A bipartisan package moving through the Michigan Legislature would create a new Medical Debt Protection Act and channel violations of it into the enforcement machinery of the state’s consumer protection statute, a structure with direct consequences for healthcare providers, medical debt buyers, and the agencies that collect on their behalf.

• More details here.

Judge Dismisses Tenant’s Deceptive-Practices and Negligence Claims Against Property Manager

• A District Court judge in New York has dismissed a tenant’s New York General Business Law and common-law negligence claims against a property management company that helped pursue rent the tenant said she never owed.

• More details here.

California Moves Toward Letting Trained Nonlawyers Help Consumers

• The California Supreme Court has asked the State Bar to gather public comment on a proposed rule that would establish a Community Justice Worker Program. The rule would permit nonattorneys who complete specialized training to provide limited legal services while working under the supervision of approved legal aid organizations. The petition behind the proposal, submitted in December by California legal aid groups, framed the program as a response to what they called an access-to-justice crisis in the state.

• More details here

WORTH NOTING: College students are moving away from majors that could be impacted by AI, like coding, and into majors with stronger job growth potential, like healthcare ... The Department of Education is offering lower interest rates to borrowers who enroll in autopayments ... Singles don't want help from AI to help them find their soulmates ... Longer lifespans are changing how consumers manage their finances ... The websites that make returning things the easiest ... What it means to be a "luddite" in today's society ... The cost of using AI has some companies cutting back ... New data suggests that purpose alone is not enough to keep employees engaged.

Funny Friday, part I

Funny Friday, Part II

Webinar Recap: What Are Consumers Actually Responding To Right Now?

Hosted by Mike Gibb of AccountsRecovery.net and sponsored by InterProse, this webinar explored how consumers are engaging with debt collection communications in today’s digital-first environment. Panelists Jake Bennett (Wilbur), John Farinacci (American Coridius International), and Drew Marston (Resurgent Capital Services) discussed the balance between text, email, and phone outreach, emphasizing convenience, control, and compliance.

Key insights included the importance of tailoring communication channels to consumer preferences, protecting the integrity of text messaging, and leveraging portals and automation to reduce friction. As Jake Bennett noted, “Texting is so much less formal… I can do it in two seconds as opposed to opening an email client.”

Greg Ruffino of InterProse highlighted how their ACE platform enables agencies to deliver 24/7 digital engagement with features like auto-login links, two-way SMS, and mobile-friendly portals, shortening the gap between outreach and resolution.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• Refine channel use strategically: Reserve text for urgent or high-priority outreach, while using email for documentation such as receipts or paid-in-full letters.

• Enable two-way engagement: Consumers respond more when they can interact directly via text or email, reducing friction and increasing convenience.

• Secure and respect consent: Build processes to capture digital communication consent during phone calls or portal interactions, ensuring compliance and trust.

This session underscored that consumer preferences are fluid and agencies must remain flexible, continuously testing and adapting strategies to meet consumers where they are—whether that’s text, email, or phone.

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