Daily Digest - March 24, 2026

🎂 Happy Birthday to the following: Herb Orengo of Commercial Credit Group, Ray Zak of Simplepay, and Kevin Camell of Penn Hill Associates.

🎉 Congratulations for starting new positions: Jaime LaRose as Software Sales Specialist at Maxyfi, and Jesscia Amundset as Director of RCM Operations at HealthReconConnect.

Logo Madness is Back!

The quest to identify the best logo in the credit and collections industry is here. Click here to submit your logo and click here to see the past winners.

NEW: Digital Communications Survey

✅ Click here and take a quick digital communications and benchmarking survey

Suit Accuses Collector of Attempting to Recover Zeroed Out Home Improvement Loan

• As has been written about many times over the years on this site, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a strict liability statute that holds collectors responsible, even if they did nothing more than rely on the information that was provided to them by their client. A collection operation is facing claims it violated the FDCPA by attempting to collect a debt from a consumer for a home improvement loan where none of the work was ever performed.

• More details here.

• This series is sponsored by WebRecon

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY’S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

New Louisiana Bill Targets Medical Debt Collections With Strict Limits on Liens and Wage Garnishment

• A medical debt collection bill was introduced yesterday in the Louisiana Senate by a Republican which would place a number of restrictions on how medical debts could be collected in the state. The proposed legislation, titled the Louisiana Medical Debt Protection Act, would significantly alter how medical creditors and third party collectors operate by capping interest rates, limiting garnishment practices, and prohibiting certain enforcement actions tied to medically necessary care.

• More details here.

Appeals Court Affirms No FDCPA Liability for Mortgage Communications Sent During Bankruptcy

• The Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has affirmed a lower court’s ruling in in favor of a defendant in a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act case over documents sent to the plaintiff while he was in bankruptcy proceedings. The decision provides important clarity for servicers, collectors, and creditors navigating borrower communications during bankruptcy, particularly around what constitutes “debt collection” versus permissible informational outreach.

• More details here.

Clickwrap Agreement Sends FCRA File-Mixing Claim to Arbitration

• A District Court judge in Pennsylvania has granted a defendant’s motion to compel arbitration in a Fair Credit Reporting Act case that accused the defendant of reporting inaccurate information about the plaintiff because it mixed his file with someone else’s. The decision reinforces how courts continue to treat online “clickwrap” agreements as binding, even when consumers claim they do not recall agreeing to them, and highlights the evidentiary standards companies can rely on when enforcing arbitration provisions.

• More details here.

Senate Bill Targets Credit Repair ‘Jamming’ and Tightens Oversight of CROs

• A credit repair reform bill has been introduced in the Senate, that would, among other provisions, prohibit companies from “jamming” institutions with duplicative disputes while also requiring all CROs to register with a state regulator. The bipartisan Ending Scam Credit Repair Act (ESCRA), introduced by Sen. Chris Coons [D-Del.] and Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R-Ala.] signals a renewed push by lawmakers to address practices that banks, furnishers, and collection agencies have long argued create operational friction and undermine legitimate dispute resolution processes.

• More details here.

Frost Echols Welcomes Karen Scheibe Eliason as Firm’s Newest Attorney

• Frost Echols is pleased to announce the addition of a Minnesota attorney with more than 25 years of experience in consumer financial services compliance and creditors’ rights litigation. Karen Scheibe Eliason is licensed to practice in Minnesota and the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

• More details here. 

WORTH NOTING: if you think gas is expensive here, you should see how much it costs in Hong Kong ... What consumers want, and don't want, from their banking chatbots ... If you're looking to cut back on your electricity bill, check on these devices ... A teenager from Vermont has developed an AI tool to help prevent medical billing errors ... You're probably apologizing the wrong way. Here's the right way to say sorry ... Which fast food chain is home to the best value burger in America ... Postpartum depression often shows up at work. Here is the right way to handle it ... What looked like a harsh dressing down was actually a coach trying to inspire a player.

Trailer Tuesday, part I

Trailer Tuesday, Part II

Webinar Recap: The Red Flags Not to Ignore When Hiring Collectors and Customer-Service Reps

In a recent AccountsRecovery.net webinar moderated by Dennis Barton of Barton Law Group, industry leaders shared practical insights on spotting red flags when hiring frontline collectors and customer-service representatives. Panelists included Jonathan Goldberg (National Recovery Associates), Anna Mobley (Williams & Fudge), Joey Nichols (CBC/ART), and Frank Tirre (Cedar Financial). Sponsored by Connect International, the discussion emphasized that hiring decisions directly impact compliance, recovery outcomes, and organizational reputation.

Key themes included:

• Resumes: Frequent job changes are no longer automatic disqualifiers post-COVID, but unexplained gaps, vague reasons for leaving, or resumes lacking detail remain warning signs. As Jonathan Goldberg noted, “Tell me something. What did you do? What kind of paper did you collect on?”

• Interviews: Overconfidence and scripted answers often signal poor fit. Nichols stressed authenticity, preferring candidates who admit challenges rather than claim perfection. Mobley added that inexperienced applicants promising to be “number one in 60 days” rarely last.

• Reliability: Punctuality and dependability are critical. Panelists agreed that late arrivals or missed interviews are strong indicators of future attendance issues.

• Culture & Personality: Tirre emphasized judging personality fit over lengthy resumes, while Mobley highlighted job shadowing as a better predictor than role-playing. Goldberg acknowledged reliability remains the hardest trait to measure, despite testing tools.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• Scrutinize patterns, not just tenure: Look for consistency in reasons for leaving and whether career moves reflect progression or instability.

• Test for authenticity in interviews: Probe with repeated questions or personal prompts to cut through rehearsed answers and reveal genuine character.

• Prioritize reliability and fit: Treat punctuality and cultural alignment as non-negotiables, supplementing with shadowing or personality assessments to gauge coachability.

This session underscored that while resumes and interviews provide clues, the ultimate focus should be on hiring individuals who are reliable, coachable, and aligned with company culture—qualities that drive long-term success in collections and customer service.

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