CFPB Plans Debt Collection Survey
On March 6, the CFPB issued a notice that it intends to conduct a mail survey of consumers “to learn about their experiences interacting with the debt collection industry.” The notice states that the Bureau, as part of its information gathering related to its debt collection rulemaking, will ask consumers about (i) whether they have been contacted by debt collectors in the past; (ii) whether they recognized the debt that was being collected; (iii) interactions with the debt collectors; (iv) preferences for how they would like to be contacted by debt collectors; (v) opinions about potential regulatory interventions in debt collection markets; and (vi) knowledge of legal rights regarding debt collections. Comments on the proposed survey are due by May 6, 2014.