559.725 Consumer complaints; administrative duties.—
(1) The office shall receive and maintain records of correspondence and complaints from consumers concerning any and all persons who collect debts, including consumer collection agencies.
(2) The office shall inform and furnish relevant information to the appropriate regulatory body of the state or the Federal Government, or The Florida Bar in the case of attorneys, if a person has been named in a consumer complaint pursuant to subsection (3) alleging violations of s. 559.72. The Attorney General may take action against any person in violation of this part.
(3) The complainant, subject to penalty of perjury as provided in s. 837.06, shall certify on a form approved by the Financial Services Commission a summary of the nature of the alleged violation and the facts that allegedly support the complaint, and shall submit the form to the office.
(4) The office shall investigate complaints and record the resolution of such complaints.
(5) The office shall advise the appropriate state attorney or the Attorney General of any determination by the office of a violation of this part by any consumer collection agency that is not registered as required by this part. The office shall furnish the state attorney or Attorney General with the office’s information concerning the alleged violations of such requirements.
(6) A registered consumer collection agency must provide a written response to the office within 45 days after receipt of a written request from the office for information concerning a consumer complaint. The response must address the issues and allegations raised in the complaint. The office may impose an administrative fine of up to $250 per request per day upon any registrant that fails to comply with this subsection.
History.—ss. 8, 13, ch. 93-275; s. 681, ch. 2003-261; s. 5, ch. 2010-127.
Section: Previous 559.5551 559.5556 559.5558 559.563 559.565 559.715 559.72 559.725 559.726 559.727 559.730 559.77 559.78 559.785 NextLast modified: September 23, 2016