An Act To Protect Maine Consumers from Abusive and Deceptive Debt Collection Practices
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §11013, sub-§2, ¶¶O and P, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 702, §2, are amended to read:
O. The false representation or implication that documents are not legal process forms or do not require action by the consumer; or
P. The false representation or implication that a debt collector operates or is employed by a consumer reporting agency, as defined by Title 10, section 1312 1308, subsection 4. 3; or
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §11013, sub-§2, ¶Q is enacted to read:
Q. Collecting or attempting to collect a debt that is barred by the statute of limitations or other relevant time limit without including a specific disclosure to the consumer that the debt cannot be pursued through civil litigation.
Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §11014, sub-§1, ¶E, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 702, §2, is amended to read:
E. A statement that, upon the consumer's written request within the 30-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor and verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer. The statement must include instructions on how to make the written request.
summary
This bill amends the Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to prohibit a debt collector from collecting or attempting to collect a debt from a consumer after the statute of limitations has run on that debt unless the debt collector informs the consumer that the debt cannot be pursued through civil litigation. This bill also requires a debt collector to provide to a consumer, upon the written request of the consumer, verification of the debt or a copy of the judgment against the consumer.