WebRecon Feb 2024 Stats: Mixed Feb, But YTD Complaints Still High

Quick analysis: Mixed Feb, But YTD Complaints Still High

For Feb 2024, FDCPA cases (-20.1%) and TCPA cases (-32%) fell while FCRA cases (+26.4%) and CFPB complaints (+20.4) increased. YTD, everything is still way up.

YTD, everything is still up over 2023 by double digits:
FDCPA +19.8%
TCPA +32.8%
FCRA +40.4%
CFPB +39.2%

In other news, putative class actions represented 4.9% of FDCPA, 66.9%(!) of TCPA and 9.5%(!) of FCRA lawsuits filed last month. TCPA and FCRA class actions are extraordinarily high, historically speaking. About 37% of all plaintiffs who filed suit last month had filed at least once before. And finally, Encino attorney Melkon R. Melkonian gets his first crack at the top spot for representing the most consumers (127) in February and YTD (though it’s by bundling a bunch of plaintiffs into a couple of suits).

Complaint Statistics:

8838 consumers filed CFPB complaints, and about 1041 consumers filed lawsuits under consumer statutes from Feb 01, 2024 to Feb 29, 2024.

• 8838 CFPB Complaints
• 365 FDCPA, 18 Class Action (4.9%)
• 136 TCPA, 91 Class Action (66.9%)
• 675 FCRA, 64 Class Action (9.5%)

Litigation Summary (scroll down for CFPB data):

• Of those cases, there were about 1041 unique plaintiffs (including multiple plaintiffs in one suit).
• Of those plaintiffs, about 382, or (37%), had sued under consumer statutes before.
• Combined, those plaintiffs have filed about 4182 lawsuits since 2001
• Actions were filed in 160 different US District Court branches.
• About 597 different collection firms and creditors were sued.

The top courts where lawsuits were filed:

• 65 Lawsuits: Georgia Northern District Court – Atlanta
• 47 Lawsuits: Illinois Northern District Court – Chicago
• 36 Lawsuits: Florida Middle District Court – Tampa
• 30 Lawsuits: Florida Middle District Court – Orlando
• 28 Lawsuits: Minnesota District Court – Dmn
• 27 Lawsuits: California Central District Court – Western Division – Los Angeles
• 25 Lawsuits: New York Southern District Court – Foley Square
• 23 Lawsuits: Texas Southern District Court – Houston
• 22 Lawsuits: New York Eastern District Court – Brooklyn
• 22 Lawsuits: Pennsylvania Eastern District Court – Philadelphia

The most active consumer attorneys were:

• Representing 127 Consumers: EILEEN KEUSSEYAN
• Representing 127 Consumers: HAROUT GREG KEOSIAN
• Representing 127 Consumers: ZAREH JACK KOUSIAN
• Representing 127 Consumers: MELKON RAFI MELKONIAN
• Representing 53 Consumers: ANI AZADIAN
• Representing 53 Consumers: GEORGE S AZADIAN
• Representing 24 Consumers: ELLIOT ELO
• Representing 17 Consumers: RYAN LEE MCBRIDE
• Representing 16 Consumers: OCTAVIO GOMEZ
• Representing 15 Consumers: MATTHEW FORSBERG

Statistics Year to Date:
1856 total lawsuits for 2024, including:

• 822 FDCPA
• 1209 FCRA
• 336 TCPA

Number of Unique Plaintiffs for 2024: 1974 (including multiple plaintiffs in one suit)

The most active consumer attorneys of the year:

• Representing 127 Consumers: ZAREH JACK KOUSIAN
• Representing 127 Consumers: MELKON RAFI MELKONIAN
• Representing 127 Consumers: EILEEN KEUSSEYAN
• Representing 127 Consumers: HAROUT GREG KEOSIAN
• Representing 55 Consumers: CHRIS R MILTENBERGER
• Representing 53 Consumers: ANI AZADIAN
• Representing 53 Consumers: GEORGE S AZADIAN
• Representing 40 Consumers: OCTAVIO GOMEZ
• Representing 36 Consumers: ELLIOT ELO
• Representing 29 Consumers: MATTHEW THOMAS BERRY

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CFPB Complaint Statistics:

There were 8838 complaints filed against debt collectors from Feb 01, 2024 to Feb 29, 2024.

Total number of debt collectors complained about: 868

The types of debt behind the complaints were:

• 2224 I do not know (25%)
• 2124 Credit card debt (24%)
• 1583 Other debt (18%)
• 909 Telecommunications debt (10%)
• 634 Medical debt (7%)
• 584 Rental debt (7%)
• 428 Auto debt (5%)
• 178 Payday loan debt (2%)
• 87 Mortgage debt (1%)
• 48 Federal student loan debt (1%)
• 39 Private student loan debt (0%)

Here is a breakdown of complaints:

• 4521 Attempts to collect debt not owed (51%)
• 2434 Written notification about debt (28%)
• 657 Took or threatened to take negative or legal action (7%)
• 557 False statements or representation (6%)
• 410 Communication tactics (5%)
• 136 Electronic communications (2%)
• 123 Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly (1%)

The top five subissues were:

• 2098 Debt is not yours (24%)
• 1686 Debt was result of identity theft (19%)
• 1337 Didnt receive enough information to verify debt (15%)
• 1058 Didnt receive notice of right to dispute (12%)
• 600 Debt was paid (7%)

The top states complaints were filed from are:

• 1165 Complaints: CA
• 981 Complaints: TX
• 877 Complaints: FL
• 695 Complaints: GA
• 523 Complaints: NY
• 417 Complaints: PA
• 335 Complaints: IL
• 283 Complaints: NJ
• 256 Complaints: NC
• 237 Complaints: OH

The status of the month’s complaints are as follows:

• 5827 Closed with explanation (66%)
• 1725 In progress (20%)
• 1171 Closed with non-monetary relief (13%)
• 91 Untimely response (1%)
• 24 Closed with monetary relief (0%)

This includes 8674 (98%) timely responses to complaints, and 164 (2%) untimely responses.