In New York, stop collecting debt from non-native English speakers

In New York, there are about two million people with limited English proficiency. Debt collection agencies take advantage of this and recover debts from them using deceptive methods. Now this practice will stop. This is stated in a press release from the Department of Protection of the Rights of Consumers and Employees (DCWP).

Photo: Shutterstock

About the new rules

The department's proposed rules would prohibit debt collection agencies from engaging in scams that target consumers with limited English proficiency (LEP), a term that refers to a person who is not fluent in English, often because it is not their first language. .

On March 5, DCWP Commissioner Lorelei Salas announced the innovation.

The proposed rules will require debt collection agencies to inform consumers about the available linguistic services, prohibit fake, inaccurate or partial translation of any debt collection messages, and keep records related to the language preferences of consumers.

On the subject: Why are the debts of New Yorkers largest and hopeless among Americans

She added that the department, as a consumer protection agency, is committed to doing everything possible to bridge the language gap. “And that’s exactly what our proposed rules do,” she said.

In New York, where every fourth resident, which is almost two million people, cannot perfectly read, speak, write English or understand it, the lack of language services is particularly worrying. Without such services, such people may not be aware of their rights and be more vulnerable to the unfair practices of some collectors.

US Consumer Debt

Today, consumer debt is at the highest level in history: Americans owe $ 4,1 trillion in unpaid consumer debt unrelated to a mortgage. As a result, the debt collection industry is booming; collectors communicate with consumers more than a billion times a year.

What will change with the new rules

New rules will require debt collectors:

• inform consumers about the available linguistic services;
• Notify consumers of a glossary of commonly used debt collection terms (available in multiple languages ​​on the DCWP website)
• request, register, and save records of each consumer’s preferences for language;
• communicate consumer preferences for language if they send the debt back to the creditor, sell the debt, or take it to court;
• keep a record of the number of accounts in which they tried to collect debts in a language other than English.

The DCWP will hold a public hearing on the proposed rules on April 10, 2020 at 10 a.m. at 42 Broadway, 5th floor. Comments on the proposed rules can be submitted in person at the hearing or online, by email [email protected], by fax to 646-500-5962 or by letter to the address listed in the proposed regulations. The deadline for submitting comments is April 10 by 17 p.m.

Read more at ForumDaily New York.

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