Assessment of Maximum Award Is Upheld For FDCPA Offenses to Collect $378 Debt

A debt collector specializing in health care debt obligations cannot convince the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit that an award of the statutory maximum under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act for violations occurring in an attempt to collect a $378 debt was an abuse of the district court’s discretion (Ponce v. BCA Financial Services, Inc., 11th Cir., No. 11-13688).

BCA Financial Services, Inc. (BCA) was sued by Israel Ponce for violations of the FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. §1692, stemming from BCA’s attempts to collect an alleged unpaid medical debt of $378.35.

BCA argued ...