Wed.Oct 13, 2021

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Ex-Collection Agency CEO Pleads Guilty in Pay-to-Play Scandal

Account Recovery

The former owner of a collection agency pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of making payments to support the former Circuit Court Clerk of Cook County, Illinois, while the company he ran entered into a deferred prosecution agreement and will pay a $225,000 fine. Donald Donagher, who ran Penn Credit Corp., will be sentenced on … The post Ex-Collection Agency CEO Pleads Guilty in Pay-to-Play Scandal appeared first on AccountsRecovery.net.

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This Growing 2022 Vacation Trend Could Make You Fitter

Nerd Wallet

When lockdowns started in March 2020, Steve Schneiter lost all his revenue. Schneiter is the owner of Denver Microbrew Tour, a company that gives guided brewery tours. Considering both travel and indoor dining was at a standstill, Schneiter had few avenues to maintain his business. To stay occupied, he set a goal to run one. Sally French writes for NerdWallet.

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Higher Utility Bills and More Shutoffs Causing Problems for Consumers

Account Recovery

The amount of unpaid utility debts in the United States is expected to hit $24.3 billion by the end of this year, up from $9.8 billion at the end of July, according to data released by the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, which is causing problems for millions of Americans who are facing debt collectors … The post Higher Utility Bills and More Shutoffs Causing Problems for Consumers appeared first on AccountsRecovery.net.

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Building Your Credit: Myths and Reality

Nerd Wallet

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year, people were overwhelmed by the logistics of sudden and swift stay-at-home orders. Between school closures, supply shortages and new ways of working, there was little time for much else. As many adjusted their spending habits, they also took the time to think more critically about their finances —. Amanda Barroso writes for NerdWallet.

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From Complexity to Clarity: Strategies for Effective Compliance and Security Measures

Speaker: Erika R. Bales, Esq.

When we talk about “compliance and security," most companies want to ensure that steps are being taken to protect what they value most – people, data, real or personal property, intellectual property, digital assets, or any other number of other things - and it’s more important than ever that safeguards are in place. Let’s step back and focus on the idea that no matter how complicated the compliance and security regime, it should be able to be distilled down to a checklist.

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Daily Digest – October 13. Ex-CEO Pleads Guilty in Pay-to-Play Scandal; Higher Utility Bills and More Shutoffs Causing Problems for Consumers

Account Recovery

EX-COLLECTION AGENCY CEO PLEADS GUILTY IN PAY-TO-PLAY SCANDAL The former owner of a collection agency pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of making payments to support the former Circuit Court Clerk of Cook County, Illinois, while the company he ran entered into a deferred prosecution agreement and will pay a $225,000 fine. Donald Donagher, who … The post Daily Digest – October 13.

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Are the Days of ‘The Customer is Always Right’ Over?

Account Recovery

People are getting angrier and it is now beginning to have an impact on the people who all-too-often are the recipients of that rage — the workers and employees who deal with the general public — which includes collectors speaking to individuals with unpaid debts. The pandemic has upended much of our daily lives, and … The post Are the Days of ‘The Customer is Always Right’ Over?

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Credit Myths Persist, Even After Pandemic Forces a Closer Look at Finances

Nerd Wallet

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted nearly every aspect of American life and put stress on many people’s wallets. Millions of people have found themselves navigating payment concessions, student loan deferments and mortgage forbearance programs, trying to keep their finances afloat. One element some may have overlooked is knowing their credit score and understanding how to.

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CFPB, FTC and North Carolina Department of Justice File Amicus Brief in Henderson v. The Source for Public Data, L.P.

Consumer Finance

Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and North Carolina Department of Justice filed an amicus brief in support of the consumer plaintiffs in Henderson v. The Source for Public Data, L.P.

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What to Expect If You Get COVID While Traveling Abroad

Nerd Wallet

Middle school science teacher Stefanie Guggenheim was set to fly home to Illinois from a weeklong family vacation through Spain — a last hurrah before the school year would start. As all passengers must do before entering the U.S. from abroad, she and her family took a rapid COVID-19 test in Barcelona the day before. Sally French writes for NerdWallet.

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When It Comes to Collections Software, “Good Enough” Isn’t Good Enough

Are you finding some snags in your collections process? With delinquencies, and the number of consumers looking for payment assistance on the rise, it may be time to consider an efficient cloud-based software to support your team. Learn how MeridianLink® Collect has helped financial institutions like yours streamline collections processes.

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Second Mortgage Lien Stripping With Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Sawin & Shea

Chapter 13 bankruptcy offers the option of lien stripping. Lien stripping can eliminate junior liens, such as second or third mortgages. If you’re filing or considering filing for Chapter 13, you need to be aware of the process and advantages of lien stripping. Chapter 13 lien stripping can be beneficial to your financial situation and may even help you save your home.

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Personal Loan Rates and Debt Statistics: 2021

Nerd Wallet

Personal loans accounted for $148 billion in consumer debt in the fourth quarter of 2020, a decline from the same period in 2019, according to credit bureau TransUnion. Personal loans are usually unsecured, meaning they don’t require collateral like a house or a car, and you can use them for almost anything. Lenders rely on. Annie Millerbernd writes for NerdWallet.

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Second Mortgage Lien Stripping With Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Sawin & Shea

Chapter 13 bankruptcy offers the option of lien stripping. Lien stripping can eliminate junior liens, such as second or third mortgages. If you’re filing or considering filing for Chapter 13, you need to be aware of the process and advantages of lien stripping. Chapter 13 lien stripping can be beneficial to your financial situation and may even help you save your home.

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83(b) Election: Why and When to File

Nerd Wallet

Taxes are like chores. You pay what you have to, but no more than you need to. One way to avoid overpaying is understanding the tax code and its various provisions. This can be especially true if you have a complicated tax situation, as employees or company founders with equity compensation often do. Taking advantage. Tiffany Lam-Balfour writes for NerdWallet.

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ERM Program Fundamentals for Success in the Banking Industry

Speaker: William Hord, Senior VP of Risk & Professional Services

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is critical for industry growth in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing risk landscape. When building your ERM program foundation, you need to answer questions like: Do we have robust board and management support? Do we understand and articulate our bank’s risk appetite and how that impacts our business units? How are we measuring and rating our risk impact, likelihood, and controls to mitigate our risk?

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Burr & Forman Expands Hilton Head Office with the addition of Bret Pruehs and Jennie Cerrati

Burr Forman

Hilton Head, SC, October 13, 2021 – Burr & Forman LLP announces the addition of Hilton Head-based partner Bret Pruehs and counsel Jennie Cerrati. Bret Pruehs has practiced law in the Hilton Head Island area since 2005. He joins the Real Estate Practice Group and handles residential and commercial real estate transactions and general corporate law.

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Capital One’s Savor vs. SavorOne: SavorOne Best for Most

Nerd Wallet

The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card are both solid cards that offer stellar rewards on dining, entertainment, streaming, and purchases at grocery stores. The main difference between the two is that the Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card charges an annual fee of. Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet.

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The Data Privacy Policy: A Website’s Best Friend

Payment Savvy

Companies and business owners are responsible for safeguarding the personal data of their customers. Simply put, if you collect it then you need to protect it! A data privacy policy can help clarify your responsibilities and give your customers peace of mind. What is a Data Privacy Policy? Your data privacy policy is a legal document on your website and specifies all of the methods in which your website visitors’ personal information may be utilized.

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Braintree Payments Review: Features, Pricing and Alternatives

Nerd Wallet

Braintree’s focus on e-commerce payments makes it a poor option for traditional brick-and-mortar retail operations. Still, businesses that accept online payments will appreciate the company’s transparent pricing and range of payment options. What is Braintree? Braintree is a merchant services provider that offers payment processing services for mobile apps and websites and is connected to.

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You Put in a Full Work Week. Shouldn’t Your Collections Software Do the Same?

Discover a modern, cloud-based collection system that never takes a rest day. MeridianLink® Collect is an intuitive platform with advanced customization options developed to simplify the collections process. Here are four ways MeridianLink Collect can support your team: Omnichannel communications Compliance rules & checklists Workflows & queues One interface with supporting integrations And that’s just the start.

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Pauline Frens becomes Managing Director ad interim of Visma | Onguard

On Guard

Marieke Saeij leaves the software company. Amsterdam, 13 October 2021 – Pauline Frens becomes Managing Director ai of order-to-cash specialist Visma | Onguard starting November 1st. Frens has been working for Visma for almost 2 years in the role of Managing Director for Visma | Idella. Frens is the successor of Marieke Saeij, who was involved with Visma | Onguard for 5 years, first as CTO and later as CEO.

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Statement of CFPB Director Rohit Chopra and FTC Chair Lina M. Khan on Amicus Brief filed in Henderson v. The Source for Public Data, L.P.

Consumer Finance

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and North Carolina Department of Justice filed an amicus brief today with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to urge the Court to overturn a problematic District Court decision that would undermine the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by granting immunity to consumer reporting agencies under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

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Michigan Lawyers Weekly Feature: How to Run a Well-Documented, Defensible eDiscovery Process

Fraser

This article by Fraser Trebilcock attorney Jean E. Kordenbrock first appeared on Michigan Lawyers Weekly ‘s website. You can view the article by clicking here. It is commonplace in almost every litigation matter today, but it still strikes fear in the minds of many lawyers: electronic discovery. From collecting data to protecting it in a secure environment, the federal and Michigan rules require lawyers to competently gather the relevant information and defend the process used to collect i

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Read Rohit Chopra's statement to CFPB staff and other financial regulators right after his swearing in

Public Citizen

Here.

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The Power of Storytelling in Risk Management

Speaker: Dr. Karen Hardy, CEO and Chief Risk Officer of Strategic Leadership Advisors LLC

Communication is a core component of a resilient organization's risk management framework. However, risk communication involves more than just reporting information and populating dashboards, and we may be limiting our skillset. Storytelling is the ability to express ideas and convey messages to others, including stakeholders. When done effectively, it can help interpret complex risk environments for leaders and inform their decision-making.

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Post-Facebook v. Duguid: Lower Courts Speak

Troutman Sanders

The U.S. Supreme Court’s long-awaited decision in Facebook v. Duguid , 141 S. Ct. 1163 (2021), affirmatively answered a question that had divided courts for years: Did the Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s (TCPA) definition of “automatic telephone dialing system” (ATDS) require random or sequential number generation? But it created a new question: How would lower courts implement that decision?

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What ‘Medicare for All’ Could Mean for Your Health Care

Nerd Wallet

“Medicare for All” has long been a rallying cry for progressive Democrats, hitting a peak during the 2020 presidential campaign, but since taking office President Joe Biden has not thrown his weight behind the proposal, opting instead to call on Congress to expand benefits for current Medicare recipients. Backers still hold out hope for a. Alex Rosenberg writes for NerdWallet.

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