The CFPB and the FTC have announced that the agencies will host a joint roundtable entitled, “Debt Collection and the Latino Community,” on October 23, 2014. The roundtable will examine how debt collection and credit reporting issues affect Latino consumers, especially those who have limited English proficiency (LEP). Consumer advocates, industry representatives, state and federal regulators, and academics have been invited to exchange information on a range of issues. The agenda lists the following presentations and panel discussions:
- Debt Collection & the Latino Community
- Pre-Litigation Debt Collection from Latino Consumers
- The Experience of LEP Latinos in Debt Collection Litigation
- Credit Reporting Issues Among LEP Latinos
- Developing Improved Strategies for Educating and Engaging LEP Latinos About Their Debt Collection Rights
The full-day event will conclude with a discussion between the CFPB’s Associate Director of Consumer Education and Engagement Gail Hillebrand and the FTC’s Assistant Director of the Division of Financial Practices Christopher Koegel about potential next steps by federal regulators to address the debt collection and credit reporting issues faced by the Latino community.
This roundtable reflects the CFPB’s ongoing interest in the Latino community, including the launch of the CFPB’s Spanish-language website, testing Spanish-language versions of mortgage disclosures, and enforcement actions that involved Spanish-language allegations.