| Volume 128 Number 13 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Are you having problems with a debt collector? The National Association of Consumer Advocates has prepared a few short videos that may help. Click here for more.
Growing List of Stores Will Close Doors on Thanksgiving
A few large retailers, such as Costco and Barnes & Noble have remained closed on Thanksgiving despite a growing retail trend in recent years to start Black Friday shopping early. Now Mall of America, Office Depot, and Staples are reversing the trend by closing their doors for Thanksgiving. Although large retailers, Walmart and Target will likely remain open, more stores like REI have joined other stores that encourage consumers to stay home with family for the holiday. Click here for more.
Your Money
If you're shopping for a new internet provider, you'll likely be given options for various internet speeds. But how much internet speed do you need for your home? Internet Service Providers measure Internet speed in terms of megabits per second, or Mbps. Differences in Mbps can have a significant impact on the quality of your Internet connection and your ability to connect. Generally the more connected devices you have, the more speed you need. If you live alone, it's easy to control the number of connected devices in the home. However, if you have a teenager or a roommate, you may not know how many devices are connected at a time. You can use an Internet calculator to estimate how many Mbps your service should have to meet your needs. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Voluntary language to pay off a debt in a demand letter is not misleading and thus does not violate the FDCPA. The demand letter to the plaintiff stated that the consumer has “the chance to pay what [he] owe[s] voluntarily.” The Illinois District Court reviewed the language offering the consumer a chance to pay voluntarily as being, at most, puffery and held that such statements are allowed under the FDCPA since “it is perfectly obvious to even the dimmest debtor that the debt collector would very much like him to pay the amount demanded straight off, sparing the debt collector any further expense.” Blanchard v. North American Credit Services (S.D. Ill. 2016). Click here for more.