Daily Digest - October 1, 2025

 🎉🎂 Happy Birthday to: Matt Larson of Orion First, and Katie Daniels of MJR Capital Services.

Confusion Alone Not Enough: Court Dismisses FDCPA Case

• A District Court judge in New York has granted a motion to dismiss filed by defendants in a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuit on the grounds the plaintiff did not have standing to sue.

• More details here.

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY‘S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Waters Pushes Back on CFPB Furlough Plan Amid Shutdown Threat

• With a government shutdown looming, Rep. Maxine Waters [D-Calif.], the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, yesterday sent a letter to CFPB Acting Director Russell Vought warning him against furloughing staff; a move she called “legally baseless” and harmful to consumers.

• More details here.

Durbin, Hawley Introduce Bipartisan AI Liability Bill

• A bipartisan push in the Senate could reshape the legal landscape for artificial intelligence, opening the door to lawsuits against AI developers when their systems cause harm.

• More details here.

33 Companies Seeking Collection Talent

• Want to be the next director of data lake and integration at a creditor? How about becoming the next compliance officer at a credit union in Alaska? Or the next corporate counsel for an industry trade group? Those are just some of the three dozen different industry positions in this week’s job summary listings.

• More details here.

WORTH NOTING: The job market across the country remains largely frozen, according to newly released data ... What are the strangest myths surrounding pregnancy that people actually believe? ... For as long as the federal government is shut down, here is what is affected ... A list of the world's most influential rising stars ... Why the best way to solve problems may be to think backwards ... Why major workplace disruptions aren't always a bad thing ... How highly successful people talk to their bosses ... The downsides to letting AI plan your next vacation.

Wisdom Wednesday, part I

Wisdom Wednesday, Part II

Webinar Recap: Getting More and Better Google Reviews

Google reviews are no longer optional—they are central to how debt collection agencies and related businesses are perceived by consumers, clients, regulators, and even potential employees. In a recent webinar sponsored by Ghost Star, a panel of industry leaders explored why reviews matter and how agencies can proactively manage them.

Jeff DiMatteo of American Profit Recovery stressed the importance of reputation: “What’s the first thing somebody does when they get a letter or email from your company? They Google you.” Reviews, he said, shape consumer trust, employee recruitment, and regulatory perception. Katie Borchers of Beyond Green Solutions highlighted that reviews give agencies control over their brand, noting that “the sweet spot” for credibility is maintaining a rating between 4.2 and 4.8. Chris Ball of Val Vista Software underscored the ROI: even one consumer payment tied to a positive review can cover the cost of review-gathering efforts.

The panelists agreed that reviews rarely come unsolicited—especially in collections. Agencies must ask. Training collectors to make requests, incentivizing participation, and using technology to simplify the process are critical. Just as important is responding to every review, positive or negative, to build credibility and potentially improve SEO visibility.

The message was clear: reviews not only influence consumer behavior but can be leveraged in sales, marketing, recruiting, and even compliance conversations. Agencies that fail to manage them risk losing ground to competitors who do.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• Ask Consistently: Positive reviews rarely happen without being requested—train and incentivize staff to ask.

• Respond to All Reviews: Thoughtful responses demonstrate professionalism and can boost visibility.

• Leverage Reviews Beyond Consumers: Showcase them in marketing, recruiting, and even regulator discussions to strengthen credibility.

The Daily Digest is sponsored by TCN