DENVER (Legal Newsline) – Colorado Attorney General Cynthia H. Coffman plans to continue her office’s pursuit of allegedly deceitful debt collectors, announcing additional actions against them in collaboration with the Federal Trade Commission and its Operation Collection Program (OCP).
“It is important that Colorado families are protected from debt collectors who use strong-armed tactics that are often illegal,” Coffman said. “There are many debt collectors who work within the law, but Coloradans deserve recourse from those companies who do not and who intentionally prey on our citizens.”
OCP has allowed various state and regulatory agencies across the nation to share information, which has helped stop certain debt collection companies. Collect Pros, a Nevada corporation, is allegedly one such company. It was claimed to have collected from Colorado consumers on supposed debt from magazine subscriptions and a variety of health and wellness products.
OCP research proved 3,300 consumer collection accounts for Collect Pros in the state of Colorado. Collect Pros allegedly failed to provide required disclosures and information to consumers, as well as provide valid verification of the debt. These alleged violations of the Colorado Fair Debt Collection Practices Act led to a denied license for Collect Pros.
“Because many of these bad actors do business across state lines or from overseas, I value Colorado’s partnerships with the FTC and other state attorney’s general,” Coffman said. “In working together, sharing information and best practices, and coordinating enforcement efforts, we can eliminate abusive and unlawful debt collection practices.”