Daily Digest - June 24, 2025

Brought to you by: TCN | By Mike Gibb

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Mike Gibb
June 24, 2025

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

🎂🎉 Happy Birthday to: Mike Boyle of DNF Associates and Brian Williams of Crown Asset Management.

The early bird registration deadline for ComplianceCon expires this week! Sign up now and save $100 off the registration price!

💬 Group Text Sign-Up

I launched a new idea this month — group text chats. We have four groups of 11 going this month and it’s been great watching them get to know each other better and help each other. I will be starting new groups on July 1. If you are interested in participating, please click here.

📆 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!

Collector Facing Class-Action for Not Disclosing Identity or That Call was Being Recorded

  • When is a collection call not a collection call? That may be the thrust of this case, in which a collection operation is facing class-action claims it allegedly violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the California Invasion of Privacy Act for not identifying itself and for not informing the plaintiff that a call was being recorded when it contacted the plaintiff attempting to reach someone he knew.

  • More details here.

  • This series is sponsored by WebRecon

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY‘S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Judge Reduces Fee Award by 50% in FDCPA Case

  • After six years of litigation, a District Court judge in Pennsylvania has awarded a plaintiff more than $62,000 in fees and costs, well below the $150,000 that was being sought after filing a class action lawsuit accusing the defendant of violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

  • More details here.

AI Goes Mainstream in Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management, Says New Study

  • Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept in healthcare payments. It’s now a strategic necessity. More than 80% of healthcare leaders consider AI an integral part of their revenue cycle management (RCM) operations, with 70% classifying it as a top organizational priority, according to a new study commissioned by healthcare payments software provider Waystar and conducted by Forrester Consulting.

  • More details here.

2M Consumers Facing Garnishments Over Unpaid Student Loans: TransUnion

  • The number of individuals who are at risk of having their wages garnished this summer because of unpaid student loans is nearly twice as high as the 1.2 million figure that was originally anticipated by TransUnion, according to a published report in The Wall Street Journal. About 6 million consumers are at least 90 days past due on their student loans and about 2 million of them are due to move into default in July, at which point they could face penalties like wage garnishment.

  • More details here.

GetixHealth, an H.I.G. Capital Portfolio Company, Completes Acquisition of Americollect

  • H.I.G. Capital, a leading global alternative investment firm with $70 billion of capital under management, is pleased to announce that its portfolio company, GetixHealth, LLC, has completed the acquisition of Americollect, Inc., a leading provider of patient engagement solutions for healthcare providers, based in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

  • More details here.

WORTH NOTING: What keeps tech executives awake at night? Cyber attacks (now they might start keeping you awake, too) ... Heinz wants to make sure you know that ketchup is acceptable at the breakfast table ... Does debt collection make the cut as a "disfavored" industry for this upcoming House hearing? ... Consumers regularly face emergency expenses, according to a new report ... $150,000 is the amount that people feel they need to make to live comfortably ... A TikTok trick is not going to erase your student loan debt ... How to reclaim your joy and curiosity in the workplace ... The American Dream is falling further out of reach for many.

Trailer Tuesday, part I

Trailer Tuesday, Part II

Webinar Recap: Breaking Down the Most Common Disputes Filed by Consumers

In a recent webinar, a panel of legal and compliance experts offered in-depth guidance on how to handle the most common types of consumer disputes—particularly those alleging identity theft or incorrect credit reporting. While disputes may not always follow the 80/20 rule exactly, the panelists agreed that most fall into a few predictable categories and can be handled more efficiently with the right policies, processes, and documentation.

Topics included the differences between FCRA and FDCPA dispute obligations, the risks of automating investigations, and best practices for determining whether a dispute is “frivolous” or actionable. Panelists emphasized the importance of thoroughly reviewing both the consumer’s dispute and internal system data, contacting consumers when necessary, and tailoring investigations based on the information available.

🔍 Three Key Takeaways

  1. Investigate Every Dispute—Even Vague Ones
    Whether a dispute says "not mine" or comes with a completed FTC fraud affidavit, furnishers are obligated to perform a reasonable investigation. That includes reviewing all available documentation, comparing it with account data, and—even when little information is provided—documenting efforts to obtain more.

  2. Automation Is Helpful—But Not a Substitute
    Automated tools and AI can streamline investigations, but regulators expect human oversight. Every dispute should be reviewed by a person, especially to catch red flags that automation might miss (like inconsistent dates or suspicious transactions).

  3. Policies, Procedures, and Documentation Are Critical
    The panel strongly urged attendees to review and update their policies—especially ensuring they align with Appendix E of Regulation V. Each type of dispute (identity theft, balance accuracy, payment history, etc.) should have a clearly documented investigation procedure that is consistently followed and auditable.

The panelists concluded by reminding furnishers that robust documentation, active communication, and trend analysis of dispute data are crucial for compliance—and for reducing future dispute volume.

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