Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) staff letter: Castle
June 13, 1995 · Section 809 [1692g]; Section 809(b) [1692g(b)]
Topic: Debt validation
Staff opinion letters are informal views of FTC staff, not binding Commission rulings, and some were later superseded by statutory amendments (including the 2006 FDCPA amendments) or later guidance. Check current law before relying on any letter.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20580
Division of Credit Practices Bureau of Consumer Protection
June 13, 1995
F. Guthrie Castle, Jr., Esq.
301 Koger Center
6555 Quince Road
Memphis, TN 38119
Dear Mr. Castle:
This is in reply to your letter of March 17, 1995, concerning proper verification of a debt under Section 809 of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). I apologize for the delay.
In answer to question #1: Section 809 of the FDCPA does not prescribe any effective date for a Section 809(b) verification. Therefore, providing a verification which pre-dates the debtor's dispute does not appear to be a violation of that Section.
In answer to question #2: in view of the recent Supreme Court case, Heintz et al v. Jenkins, (No. 94-367; 1995 U.S. Lexis 2840), decided April 18, 1995, which considered litigation activity to recover a debt to be "collection activity" covered by the FDCPA, it does not appear that a debt collector may attempt to reduce a disputed claim to judgement without obtaining the verification required by Section 809(b).
I hope this has been helpful.
Sincerely,
John F. LeFevre Attorney
Source: FTC staff letter as archived by the U.S. National Archives web harvest, archived copy. Works of the U.S. government.