Daily Digest - June 8, 2026

🎂 Happy Birthday to: Chris Inman of Chowder, Angel Parton of Citizens, Callen Hawthorne of Gurstel Law Firm, Jerad Broaddus of Truliant Federal Credit Union, and Mike Lock of Huntswood. Happy belated Birthday to: Rachel Toole of CCMR3 (June 6), Khrysty Atkinson of Phoenix Recovery Group (June 6), Gordon Carslaw of PRA Group (June 6), Harrison Tang of Spokeo (June 6), Megan Hebert of Specialized Collection Systems, Inc. (June 6)

🎉Congratulations for starting new positions: Catherine Calko as General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer at Spring Oaks Capital, Nancy Hirschbach as VP of Business Development at Unifund CCR, Jennifer Brych as Solutions Project Manager at Dial Connection LLC, and Dan Fricano as Director/VP - Partner Relations/Strategic Partnerships at Santander US.

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.

Logo Madness!

It’s time to crown the best logo in the industry. Full bracket available here so you can track the competition. Click on the link underneath the logo to choose your winner. Voting is open for 24 hours.

Even the New York Times Sees the Toll Collectors Carry

• It is not often that a debt collector gets cast as the sympathetic figure in a national newspaper, but a recent New York Times feature does exactly that, walking readers through the daily reality of a job it describes as one of the most reviled in the American economy. The piece arrives at a moment when the work is only getting busier. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that 13.1% of credit card balances were at least 90 days delinquent in the first quarter of 2026, the highest rate in fifteen years, and balances typically move to collections after 90 to 180 days of missed payments. More delinquency means more calls, and more calls mean more of what the Times documents in unsparing detail.

• More details here.

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY’S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Judge Grants MSJ to Lender in FCRA Suit

• A consumer’s Fair Credit Reporting Act lawsuit claiming a lender inaccurately reported a charged-off credit card account has been dismissed on summary judgment after the consumer could point to no evidence of inaccuracy beyond his own assertions.

• More details here.

California AG Secures $4.6M From Mortgage Servicer Over Pandemic-Era Borrower Practices

• California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Friday that his office has reached a $4.6 million settlement with Select Portfolio Servicing, resolving allegations that the Utah-based subprime mortgage servicer mishandled borrowers seeking relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed final judgment would require SPS to pay $1.6 million in civil penalties and $3 million in consumer restitution, and to overhaul the way it communicates with distressed homeowners.

• More details here.

Google’s Anti-Spoofing Tool Raises the Bar on Caller Verification

• Google announced last week that Android is rolling out fake call detection, a feature built to flag calls in which a scammer spoofs a trusted contact’s number and uses AI to clone that person’s voice. The protection is reaching Android 12 and newer devices globally this month through Phone by Google, beginning with Pixel handsets.

• More details here.

Judge Sends FDCPA Suit Back to State Court

• A District Court judge in New York has granted a plaintiff’s motion to remand his Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuit back to state court after he convinced the judge that he lacked the standing required to be there in the first place.

• More details here.

Senators Question Bank of America’s Return to Forced Arbitration

• Three Democratic lawmakers are pressing Bank of America to scrap a forced arbitration provision the bank quietly added to its online banking terms, reviving a long-running fight over consumers’ ability to take financial institutions to court.

• More details here.

Compliance Digest – June 8

• Check out this week's Compliance Digest, featuring Chad Echols on the importance of clear disclosures, Lauren Burnette on how procedural missteps in collection litigation can evolve into costly FDCPA counterclaims, and Roshni Patel on industry efforts to modernize third-party risk oversight. Additional insights came from David Schultz on defenses to common pro se consumer theories, Brendan Little on proving debt ownership in debt buyer litigation, Caren Enloe on the bankruptcy-related FDCPA risks that remain headed to trial, Patrick Watts and Rick Perr on the enduring value and finality of arbitration, and Michael Poncin on the critical role admissible evidence plays in FCRA reinvestigation claims. The Digest also included analysis from Xerxes Martin on service and venue pitfalls, Stephanie Strickler on debt collector status and onboarding failures, Chuck Dodge on the limits of arbitration clauses for collection law firms, Ari Derman on the broader implications of the CFPB's Regulation B overhaul, and Brent Yarborough on the dangers of self-representation in debt collection disputes.

• More details here

• This series is sponsored by Frost Echols

WORTH NOTING: A look at the state of the credit card lending market from WalletHub ... Most people are willing to cooperate, while also underestimating how willing others are to do so ... A look at the can't-miss hits from this summer's TV season ... A look at the Father's Day gifts that most dads don't want, and what to get them instead ... How to handle a manipulative creep at the office ... Why your high performers may be your most vulnerable employees ... How Costco can get away with selling such cheap gas ... A stylist's tips to get rid of stains from white clothes.

Music Monday, part I

Music Monday, Part II

Webinar Recap: Breaking Down the Most Common FCRA Disputes You're Seeing Right Now — and What to Do With Them

In a recent AccountsRecovery.net webinar sponsored by PMG, industry experts discussed the surge in Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) disputes and the compliance challenges they pose. Panelists highlighted that dispute volumes are rising due to consumer confusion, credit repair automation, AI‑generated claims, and misinformation spread through social media. Common issues include inaccurate account balances, identity theft, bankruptcy reporting inconsistencies, and medical debt validation requests. PMG Case Central platform was presented as a solution to streamline dispute management, flag duplicate claims, and support defensible investigations.

Panelists emphasized that while technology can improve efficiency, regulators expect human oversight in investigations. They also noted that furnishers remain accountable for correcting errors, even when the underlying creditor data is flawed. As one panelist remarked, “You’re only as good as the data you are provided.”

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• Strengthen compliance processes: Ensure every dispute receives a reasonable investigation with documented human review. Automation can assist, but regulators require manual oversight.

• Clarify reporting practices: Follow Metro 2 guidance on bankruptcy reporting and avoid shortcuts like zeroing balances, which may reduce transparency for other creditors.

• Educate and prepare for consumer confusion: Address misinformation about medical debt thresholds and bureau reporting differences, and be ready to handle increased CFPB complaints driven by credit repair organizations.

This session underscored that dispute volumes will continue to rise, but agencies can remain defensible by combining clear compliance practices, consumer education, and careful use of technology. As Dennis Barton noted, “Being correct is a complete defense to any lawsuit… or maybe not,” reminding attendees that accuracy and documentation are the best safeguards in today’s regulatory environment.

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