Consumer Protection Litigation Rises in 2026 as FCRA Lawsuits Surge 43.8%, WebRecon Reports
Consumer protection litigation and debt collection complaints continued to outpace 2025 levels through September, according to WebRecon’s latest litigation statistics, released Oct. 22.
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) lawsuits led the increases, climbing 43.8% year over year, while Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) litigation also remained elevated.
Despite mixed monthly results, the data indicate that collection agencies, creditors and other consumer financial services companies continue to face growing litigation exposure.
FCRA Litigation Leads Year-to-Date Increases
Through September 2026, WebRecon reported increases across all three major consumer protection statutes it tracks, along with complaints submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Year-to-date changes compared with the same period in 2025 included:
- FCRA lawsuits: Up 43.8%
- TCPA lawsuits: Up 13.4%
- FDCPA lawsuits: Up 7.2%
- CFPB complaints: Up 14.2%
FCRA litigation recorded the largest increase, with 1,083 lawsuits filed in September alone, an 11.9% increase from August.
FDCPA lawsuits declined 1.9% to 357 filings in September, while TCPA litigation fell 3.5% to 191 filings.
WebRecon reported 12,362 total consumer protection lawsuits through September, including 8,329 FCRA filings, 3,342 FDCPA filings and 2,096 TCPA filings. The statutory category totals may overlap when lawsuits contain multiple claims.
WebRecon CEO Jack Gordon noted that if current trends continue, 2026 would mark the second consecutive year of substantial FDCPA litigation increases following approximately a decade of declining filings.
TCPA Class Actions Remain a Significant Concern
Class action litigation continued to represent a substantial share of TCPA filings during September.
Of the 191 TCPA lawsuits filed, 131 were identified as putative class actions, representing 68.6% of the month’s total.
By comparison, class actions accounted for 9.5% of FDCPA lawsuits and just 0.9% of FCRA filings.
WebRecon also identified approximately 1,354 unique plaintiffs involved in September litigation. Of those plaintiffs, 497, or roughly 37%, had previously filed lawsuits under consumer protection statutes.
The lawsuits were filed across 158 federal district court locations and involved approximately 609 collection firms and creditors.
The Northern District of Georgia in Atlanta recorded the highest number of filings, with 153 lawsuits, followed by the Northern District of Illinois with 84 and the Central District of California’s Los Angeles division with 77.
Debt Collection Complaints Remain Elevated
WebRecon recorded 21,410 CFPB debt collection complaints during September, involving 1,212 collection companies.
More than half of the complaints involved alleged attempts to collect debts consumers said they did not owe.
The leading complaint categories were:
- Attempts to collect debt not owed: 11,079 complaints (52%)
- Written notification about debt: 3,484 (16%)
- False statements or representations: 3,263 (15%)
- Negative or legal action taken or threatened: 2,347 (11%)
- Communication tactics: 653 (3%)
Among more specific consumer allegations, 8,029 complaints involved debts consumers said were not theirs, while 3,169 concerned allegedly incorrect collection amounts. Another 2,220 complaints identified identity theft as the source of the disputed debt.
The underlying debt type was unknown or unidentified in 61% of complaints. Credit card debt accounted for 14%, followed by other debt at 10%.
Texas generated the highest number of complaints, with 3,610, followed by Florida with 2,216 and Georgia with 1,796.
Of the September complaints, WebRecon reported that approximately 97% received timely company responses. Half were closed with an explanation, while 20% were closed with nonmonetary relief.
The complaint figures reflect consumer submissions and allegations, not necessarily verified violations of consumer protection laws.
