News California Attorney General Kamala Harris yesterday filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against J.P. Morgan Chase bank for some of the debt collection abuses highlighted in a recent WW cover story, "The Enforcer." "I'm glad to see the California AG take action," says Angela Martin of Economic Fairness Oregon, an advocacy group pushing for consumer protections in House Bill 2826. "It's ...   More

News A “debt resolution” company that’s taken $2.49 million in fees from 540 Oregon residents is being sued by the state for what it says are acts of financial abuse of vulnerable people.The company, Legal Helpers Debt Resolution, provides what many daytime television ads promise: It gives a “financial workout” to consumers—negotiating debt with creditors on a client’s behalf, and then sets ...   More

News Oregon Attorney General John Kroger announced today he is shutting down a Eugene lawyer's firm over complaints about its debt-collection practices.The lawyer, Derrick McGavic, was featured in a 2008 WW news story about lawsuits filed against McGavic alleging violations of the 1978 Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.“At a time when many Oregonians are struggling to manage their debt, the Department ...   More