Conn. Gen. Stat. § 36a-800

Current with legislation from the 2024 Regular and Special Sessions.

Section 36a-800 - (Formerly Sec. 42-127). Consumer collection agency. Definitions

As used in this section and sections 36a-801 to 36a-814, inclusive, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Advertise" or "advertising" has the same meaning as provided in section 36a-485;

(2) "Branch office" means a location other than the main office at which a licensee or any person on behalf of a licensee acts as a consumer collection agency;

(3) "Consumer collection agency" means any person (A) engaged as a third party in the business of collecting or receiving payment for others on any account, bill or other indebtedness from a consumer debtor, (B) engaged in the business of debt buying, or (C) engaged in the business of collecting or receiving tax payments, including, but not limited to, property tax and federal income tax payments, from a property tax debtor or federal income tax debtor on behalf of a municipality or the United States Department of the Treasury, including, but not limited to, any person who, by any device, subterfuge or pretense, makes a pretended purchase or takes a pretended assignment of accounts from any other person, municipality or taxing authority of such indebtedness for the purpose of evading the provisions of this section and sections 36a-801 to 36a-814, inclusive. "Consumer collection agency" includes persons who furnish collection systems carrying a name which simulates the name of a consumer collection agency and who supply forms or form letters to be used by the creditor, even though such forms direct the consumer debtor, property tax debtor or federal income tax debtor to make payments directly to the creditor rather than to such fictitious agency. "Consumer collection agency" further includes any person who, in attempting to collect or in collecting such person's own accounts or claims from a consumer debtor, uses a fictitious name or any name other than such person's own name which would indicate to the consumer debtor that a third person is collecting or attempting to collect such account or claim. "Consumer collection agency" does not include (i) an individual employed on the staff of a licensed consumer collection agency, or by a creditor who is exempt from licensing, when attempting to collect on behalf of such consumer collection agency, (ii) persons not primarily engaged in the collection of debts from consumer debtors who receive funds in escrow for subsequent distribution to others, including, but not limited to, real estate brokers and lenders holding funds of borrowers for payment of taxes or insurance, (iii) any public officer or a person acting under the order of any court, (iv) any member of the bar of this state, (v) a person who services loans or accounts for the owners thereof when the arrangement includes, in addition to requesting payment from delinquent consumer debtors, the providing of other services such as receipt of payment, accounting, record-keeping, data processing services and remitting, for loans or accounts which are current as well as those which are delinquent, (vi) a bank or out-of-state bank, as defined in section 36a-2, and (vii) a subsidiary or affiliate of a bank or out-of-state bank, provided such affiliate or subsidiary is not primarily engaged in the business of purchasing and collecting upon delinquent debt, other than delinquent debt secured by real property. Any person not included in the definition contained in this subdivision is, for purposes of sections 36a-645 to 36a-647, inclusive, a "creditor", as defined in section 36a-645;

(4) "Consumer debtor" means any natural person, not an organization, who has incurred indebtedness or owes a debt for personal, family or household purposes, including current or past due child support, who has incurred indebtedness or owes a debt to a municipality due to a levy by such municipality of a property tax or who has incurred indebtedness or owes a debt to the United States Department of the Treasury under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time;

(5) "Control person" has the same meaning as provided in section 36a-485;

(6) "Creditor" means a person, including, but not limited to, a municipality or the United States Department of the Treasury, that retains, hires, or engages the services of a consumer collection agency;

(7) "Debt buying" means collecting or receiving payment on any account, bill or other indebtedness from a consumer debtor for such person's own account if the indebtedness was acquired from another person and if the indebtedness was either delinquent or in default at the time it was acquired;

(8) "Federal income tax" means all federal taxes levied on the income of a natural person or organization by the United States Department of the Treasury under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time;

(9) "Federal income tax debtor" means any natural person or organization who owes a debt to the United States Department of the Treasury;

(10) "Main office" means the main address designated on the system;

(11) "Municipality" means any town, city or borough, consolidated town and city, consolidated town and borough, district as defined in section 7-324 or municipal special services district established under chapter 105a;

(12) "Organization" means a corporation, partnership, association, trust or any other legal entity or an individual operating under a trade name or a name having appended to it a commercial, occupational or professional designation;

(13) "Property tax" has the meaning given to the term in section 7-560;

(14) "Property tax debtor" means any natural person or organization who has incurred indebtedness or owes a debt to a municipality due to a levy by such municipality of a property tax; and

(15) "Unique identifier" has the same meaning as provided in section 36a-485.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 36a-800

(1953, 1955, S. 3310d; 1967, P.A. 882, S. 19; 1971, P.A. 539, S. 1; P.A. 75-486, S. 64, 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 161, 162, 610; P.A. 78-226, S. 1; 78-303, S. 54, 136; P.A. 80-482, S. 333, 348; P.A. 84-61, S. 1, 3; P.A. 87-9, S. 2, 3; P.A. 88-65, S. 56; P.A. 91-357, S. 61, 78; P.A. 92-12, S. 103; P.A. 93-127, S. 1, 3; P.A. 94-122, S. 328, 340; P.A. 01-207, S. 3, 12; P.A. 02-111, S. 46; P.A. 03-262, S. 1; P.A. 04-8, S. 11; P.A. 07-72, S. 8; P.A. 13-253, S. 22; P.A. 14-7, S. 2; P.A. 15-235, S. 33; P.A. 16-65, S. 47; P.A. 17-233, S. 29; P.A. 18-173, S. 78.)

Amended by P.A. 21-0138,S. 16 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2021 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2021.

Amended by P.A. 18-0173, S. 78 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2018 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2018.

Amended by P.A. 17-0233, S. 29 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2017 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2017.

Amended by P.A. 16-0065, S. 47 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2016 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2016.

Amended by P.A. 15-0235, S. 33 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2015 Regular Session, eff. 7/7/2015.

Amended by P.A. 14-0007, S. 2 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2014 Regular Session, eff. 5/8/2014.