Debt collection lawsuit investigation: Credit One, Discover, Barclays, Synchrony, Merrick Bank, American Express, Credit First (CFNA), First Premier Bank, Landmark National Bank

Repeated collection calls could be more than annoying — they may be unlawful.

Consumers who received excessive debt collection calls or were subjected to unlawful collection practices may qualify to participate in a debt collection lawsuit investigation.

What to know about this debt collection class action lawsuit investigation

• Core Issue: Many consumers have received debt collection calls from banks and financial institutions that may violate state consumer protection laws.

• Who it Affects: Consumers who live in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania or Texas and received repeated debt collection calls, unwanted collection calls, or wrong-number debt collection calls from banks or financial institutions.

• Harm/Impact: Repeated debt collection calls can be frustrating, disruptive and difficult to ignore. Some consumers report receiving unwanted calls after asking them to stop, or about a bank debt that did not belong to them.

• Legal Status: Attorneys are investigating potential claims involving alleged illegal debt collection call practices by Credit One, Discover, Barclays, Synchrony, Merrick Bank, American Express, Credit First (CFNA), First Premier Bank and Landmark National Bank. 

• Take Action: If you received harassing debt collection calls from a bank or financial institution, a debt collection attorney may be able to help. Complete the form below to see if you qualify to participate in this debt collection lawsuit investigation.

What is this debt collection class action lawsuit investigation about?

Attorneys are investigating claims of unlawful debt collection calls made by banks and financial institutions. These calls may have violated state consumer protection laws designed to prevent certain debt collection practices.

This debt collection lawsuit focuses on claims that:

• Banks and financial institutions made debt collection calls that violated state consumer protection laws.
• Consumers received repeated or unwanted debt collection calls.
• Debt collection calls continued after consumers asked for them to stop.
• Calls were placed to wrong numbers or to individuals who were not responsible for the bank debt.
• Consumers were contacted about debts they did not owe or accounts that did not belong to them.

Consumers who live in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania or Texas and received debt collection calls from a bank or financial institution may qualify to participate in this investigation.

Case updates

Legal status as of June 2026

• Attorneys are actively investigating claims of debt collector harassment.
• Several financial institutions included in this investigation have previously faced class action lawsuits over their debt collection practices, including Credit One and Synchrony.

This page was last reviewed and updated in June 2026 to reflect the latest case developments.

Which lender is calling?

The investigation currently includes:

• Credit One Bank
• Discover
• Barclays
• Synchrony
• Merrick Bank
• American Express
• Credit First (CFNA)
• First Premier Bank
• Landmark National Bank

Even if you are unsure which company was calling, you may still qualify if the calls were related to a debt and originated from one of the institutions listed above.

Debt collection laws by state

Debt collection laws are designed to protect consumers from unfair, abusive and deceptive practices by debt collectors. While federal laws provide a baseline of protection, many states have implemented additional regulations to further safeguard residents from harassment or misleading tactics employed by debt collectors. State-specific debt collection laws and regulations ensure that individual rights are upheld and that they are treated fairly throughout the collection process.

California

In California, strict debt collection regulations prohibit deceptive behaviors, such as harassing or abusive calls, false or misleading statements and unauthorized contacts with third parties. Calls must be made between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., and debt collectors cannot contact family members, neighbors or others without adhering to specific qualifications.

Connecticut

Connecticut law prohibits creditors and debt collectors from claiming to be government representatives, alleging that a consumer has committed a crime, or using the phone to annoy or harass debtors. Unlawful practices are strictly prohibited.

Florida

Florida’s debt collection laws protect consumers by prohibiting misleading or harassing behaviors, including excessive or frequent debt collection calls. Additional violations include calling a debtor’s workplace against their employer’s policy, continuing to contact a consumer after being told to stop and calling after being informed that the debt is not owed.

Maryland

Maryland’s debt collection laws provide robust protections for consumers against abusive practices by creditors and debt collectors. The Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act (MCDCA) prohibits both creditors and debt collectors from engaging in threatening, abusive or deceptive behaviors during debt collection efforts. Violations of the MCDCA can result in civil liability, allowing consumers to sue for actual damages, including compensation for emotional distress or mental anguish, even without accompanying physical injury.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts law prohibits a range of harassing or deceptive debt collection call practices, including calling a personal number more than twice in a seven-day period or a non-home number more than twice in a 30-day period. Calls outside of normal waking hours are also prohibited, and callers must identify themselves.

Michigan

Michigan law prohibits calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. without the debtor’s consent. Calls to the workplace are also prohibited if the debtor has notified the collector, verbally or in writing, not to make them. To halt such calls, debtors should inform collectors by phone and confirm in writing via certified mail, retaining proof of the request. Violations should be reported promptly for resolution.

Missouri

The Missouri Merchandising Practices Act (MMPA) prohibits deceptive, fraudulent and unfair practices in a variety of transactions, including credit services. If a financial institution misrepresents the debt or uses false threats or abusive conduct, consumers may be able to pursue a claim under this law. If successful, the claimant may be entitled to financial damages, possible punitive damages, attorney’s fees and more.

North Carolina

North Carolina law provides strong protections against abusive debt collection practices through the North Carolina Debt Collection Act (NCDCA) and the North Carolina Collection Agency Act (NCCAA). These laws prohibit debt collector harassment, threats, deceptive tactics and other unfair methods by both original creditors and third-party collection agencies. The NCCAA also imposes licensing requirements on collection agencies and debt buyers.

Violators can be held liable for actual damages as well as statutory damages ranging from $500 to $4,000 per violation. In addition, consumers are protected under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which provides additional remedies, including statutory damages of up to $1,000 and recovery of attorney’s fees. Together, these laws give North Carolina consumers robust legal tools to challenge creditor abuse.

Pennsylvania

In the state of Pennsylvania, the Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act prohibits unfair and deceptive acts by creditors and debt collectors, including calling a consumer at unusual places, calling at work, calling more than once weekly about each particular debt or calling before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m.

Texas

In Texas, debt collectors cannot garnish wages for repayment, and declared homesteads are protected from debt collection unless the debt is linked to the home, such as a defaulted mortgage. Collectors are prohibited from calling outside the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. or contacting debtors at work if their employer does not permit such calls.

Fill out the form on this page to see if you qualify for a free case evaluation.