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The Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the New York Attorney General will host an event on June 15, 2015, in Buffalo, New York, to discuss consumer protection issues with the debt collection industry. This will be the first of several “Debt Collection Dialogues” the FTC will hold around the country.

Representatives from the two agencies will discuss recent enforcement actions, consumer complaints about debt collection practices, and compliance issues. A representative from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will participate as well. Questions and comments are welcome from collection industry members and others who attend.

“Debt Collection Dialogue – New York” will be from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center at SUNY Buffalo State, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY. More information, including how to pre-register, is posted at www.ftc.gov/DebtCollectionDialogue. The FTC will accept pre-registrations on behalf of both agencies. Pre-registration is not necessary to attend but is encouraged for event planning.

In the coming months, the FTC expects to hold additional dialogues, including events in Dallas and Atlanta (details will be available soon). All of the events are free and open to the public.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.