Daily Digest - May 28, 2026

🎂 Happy Birthday to: Gregory Straub of Pollack & Rosen, and Robert Anselmo of TD Bank Group.

🎉Congratulations for starting new positions: Becky Raschke as Sr. Director, Credit at Mission Lane, Ryan Dendy as Director of Operations at First Credit Services, Lynda VanNess as Information Technology Consultant at TEC Services Group.

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.

Getting to Know Julee Warner of The Computer Manager

• Talk about making a great first impression and being able to back it up. Two days into a job that was meant to be temporary, Julee Warner was offered a full-time gig and, 26 years later, she is still working at The Computer Manager (TCM). Perhaps it’s her refusal to be afraid (thanks, mom!) or her ability to walk away to help ideas and solutions percolate. Read on to learn more about Julee, how she stays connected to her college-aged kids, and what she’s found to help fill her evenings as an almost empty-nester.

• More details here.

• This series is sponsored by TEC Services Group

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY’S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Judge Grants MSJ for Defendant in FDCPA Email Frequency Case

• A District Court judge in Maryland has granted summary judgment in favor of two collection defendants, dismissing a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuit filed by a pro se plaintiff who alleged that the defendants had harassed her with a high volume of collection emails attempting to collect a time-barred debt.

• More details here.

Groups Sue CFPB Over Reg B Overhaul, Alleging Rollback of Core Credit Protections

• A coalition of fair housing organizations and fair lending consultancies filed suit against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau this week, challenging a rule that the plaintiffs say dismantles five decades of credit discrimination protections and will make it easier for lenders to discriminate against minority borrowers.

• More details here.

Court Confirms Arbitration Award in FCRA Dispute

• A District Court judge in Pennsylvania has confirmed an arbitration award in favor of a fintech lender and credit reporting agency, rejecting a consumer’s argument that the arbitrator had made a fundamental factual error that warranted the award being vacated.

• More details here.

WSJ: The Back-Office Collapse and a Warning for Customer Service, Collection Departments

• A sweeping Wall Street Journal profile into Phoenix’s crumbling call-center economy offers one of the starkest mainstream portraits yet of what artificial intelligence is doing to customer-facing, phone-based work; the same kind of work that sits at the core of the credit and collection and customer service industries.

• More details here.

Cyber Attackers Are Moving Faster. Financial Services Firms Are Not Keeping Up.

• The annual Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report is out, and its findings carry direct implications for everyone operating in the credit and collections space. Based on analysis of more than 31,000 security incidents and more than 22,000 confirmed data breaches across 145 countries, the 2026 edition signals a threat environment that is moving faster than most organizations can respond to.

• More details here.

Lockhart, Morris & Montgomery and Overtime Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance AI in Collections

• Overtime.ai, a voice-first AI platform for agencies, debt buyers, healthcare organizations and first party collections teams, today announced a strategic partnership with LMM, a nationally recognized leader in accounts receivable management.

• More details here

WORTH NOTING: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is recalling all of its workers back to Washington, D.C., and closing its regional offices in San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, and New York ... How to regain control if your debt payments are unaffordable ... WalletHub says consumers are getting more confident about their financial outlooks ... A look at the most trustworthy companies in America ... The cities where $300k can still buy you a starter home ... Even scientists are getting caught using fake citations in research papers ... How to fit twice as much stuff in your luggage ... A comic shares a proven formula to help make habits stick.

Top 10 Thursday, part I

Top 10 Thursday, Part II

Webinar Recap: (Re)Evaluating the Performance of Your Servicer Network

The webinar, moderated by Mike Gibb of AccountsRecovery.net and sponsored by Fiber by Clerkie, examined how creditors and agencies should rethink servicer scorecards in 2026. Panelists Greg Erdmann (TRAKAmerica), Megan Hebert (Specialized Collection Systems), John Watson (Cedar Hill Advisors), and Jackson White (Fiber by Clerkie) discussed the evolution of performance metrics, compliance oversight, and technology adoption.

Traditional measures like liquidation rates and complaint counts remain relevant, but the panel agreed they are incomplete. As John Watson noted, “Liquidation rate is still relevant, but incomplete.” Megan Hebert added that low complaint rates don’t necessarily mean consumers had a positive experience. The conversation highlighted the need for more holistic frameworks that incorporate compliance, operational dashboards, and digital adoption.

Compliance was described as relatively “black and white,” though state‑by‑state complexity adds challenges. Technology investments—particularly AI, automation, and digital engagement tools—were seen as critical differentiators. Watson cautioned that “The haves and the have‑nots will separate quickly” depending on agencies’ willingness to embrace innovation.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• Expand Evaluation Metrics: Move beyond liquidation rates to include compliance adherence, digital adoption, and consumer experience indicators.

• Leverage Technology Strategically: Assess whether servicers are investing in AI, automation, and digital communication tools to remain competitive.

• Prioritize Data Quality: Ensure clean, accurate data is provided to servicers, as poor data undermines recovery outcomes and consumer trust.

This discussion underscored that servicer performance evaluation is no longer just about recovery numbers. It now requires a balanced view of compliance, technology readiness, and consumer experience—factors that will define competitive advantage in the years ahead.

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