PCS Professional Ethics & Compliance Flashcards

Which professional organization administers the PCS (Professional Collection Specialist) certification?

Answer: ACA International

ACA International (formerly the American Collectors Association) administers the PCS certification and sets standards for collection professionals.

Under ACA International's Code of Ethics, a collection professional must treat all consumers with:

Answer: Dignity and respect while complying with all applicable laws

ACA International's Code of Ethics requires members to treat consumers with dignity and respect and to conduct all collection activities in full compliance with applicable laws.

A collector discovers that their agency has been using a deceptive collection letter. The ethical obligation is to:

Answer: Report the issue internally and stop using the letter immediately

Ethical compliance requires a collection professional to escalate discovered violations internally and cease the offending practice regardless of whether a consumer has complained.

Which of the following collector behaviors constitutes harassment under the FDCPA?

Answer: Using profane language or making threats of violence

The FDCPA explicitly prohibits harassment, which includes using obscene or profane language or threatening violence or criminal action against a consumer.

Under Regulation F, a debt collector is limited to how many telephone call attempts to a consumer per week?

Answer: 7 attempts

Regulation F established a presumption that calling a consumer more than 7 times in a 7-day period constitutes harassment under the FDCPA.

A collector overhears a coworker misrepresenting themselves as an attorney to pressure a consumer. The appropriate response is to:

Answer: Report the behavior to a supervisor or compliance officer immediately

Impersonating an attorney is a serious FDCPA violation; the ethical obligation is to report it through proper compliance channels promptly.