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In less than four months, Womble Bond Dickinson’s TCPAland website and WBD Ramble podcast has become a sensation (at least in financial services litigation circles!) Tens of thousands of readers and listeners have visited TCPAland for news, opinions and insights into Telephone Consumer Protection Act issues.
But now, TCPAland isn’t the only kingdom in the Womble Bond Dickinson realm. On Sept. 18, the firm launched FCRAland, a site devoted to comparable coverage of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Womble Bond Dickinson attorneys Lela Ames, John Hawk and Sterling Laney will serve as the main writers and editors for the new site.
Initial posts at FCRAland include:
- How Much is a FCRA Violation Going to Cost you? Possibly $29 a Head.
- Freeze! New Amendments to the FCRA Grant New Consumer Rights and Impose New Disclosure Requirements .
- When Technicalities Are (and are not) Associated with Concrete Harm: The Spokeo Analysis as Applied in Long v. SEPTA, 2018 WL 4290046 (3rd Cir. 2018).
- The Tassel is Worth the Hassle: Putative Class Action Dismissed after Court Finds that Accurately Reported College Enrollment Dates and Degree-Conferral Status Are Not Adverse Information.
“If you ask most any American today how they know they are doing financially, they are very likely to tell you something related to their credit score,” Laney said. “Credit scores are key to determining whether you'll qualify for a mortgage, loan or credit card and how much interest you'll pay. Americans know that the higher your score, the more likely you'll be approved for a favorable loan. Accordingly, Americans are watching their credit scores more closely now than at any time in our history and that means our clients, especially those in the financial services arena, better know how to comply with the FCRA or they could be in for a lot of unwanted trouble. Rare is the case today involving a consumer financial product that does not include a claim about credit reporting. FCRAland is aimed to help those who furnish information to the Credit Reporting Agencies stay abreast of anything and everything FCRA. From litigation trends and strategies to regulatory changes, we are on top of it. We hope our knowledge will either help someone get out of trouble or better yet keep them from running into trouble in the first place.”
Hawk said, “We’ve been representing our financial services clients in FCRA litigation and developed a deep understanding of the nuances of the FCRA. FCRAland.com is a great way to share what we’ve learned both with our clients and the rest of the world.”
“FCRA litigation has increased dramatically in recent years, so it’s more important than ever for folks to stay on top of FCRA. Little problems can quickly become big problems, even class action lawsuits, if companies aren’t careful,” Ames said. “We are excited to build upon the success of TCPAland and expand the landscape by providing comprehensive and cutting-edge information in FCRAland.”
FCRA-related litigation is on the rise; in fact, 2018 has seen more FCRA filings to date than TCPA filings. The growth of “rocket” finance products has contributed to this FCRA litigation boom and unlike the TCPA, which are triggered exclusively by outreach campaigns, FCRA claims can arise from a number of sources, including employment background checks.
“FCRA is a massive risk driver for just about any institution and it’s about time the internet had a one-stop shop for FCRA news and views. Womble Bond Dickinson has the knowledge base and deep bench of talent to deliver such a site,” said Eric Troutman, leader of Womble Bond Dickinson’s TCPA Litigation Team and the creator of the TCPAland site.
As with TCPAland, FCRAland will have an accompanying podcast in the near future, as well as up-to-date news on significant FCRA filings and analysis from Womble Bond Dickinson attorneys in the field.
