Pro Consumidor and debt collectors sign pact to end abusive collection practices

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic’s National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor) and the Association of the Credit and Collection Ecosystem (COB-RD) have signed an agreement aimed at ensuring debt collection practices comply with the law and respect consumers’ rights.

Under the accord, collection agencies committed to ending collection attempts against individuals who are not responsible for a debt and to eliminating persistent, unwanted collection calls, two of the most common complaints received by Pro Consumidor.

The agreement also promotes humane and responsible debt collection through best-practice guidelines, staff training, consumer education campaigns, and greater oversight of collection procedures. It requires that digital communication methods—including emails, automated calls, instant messaging, and artificial intelligence tools—comply with consumer protection regulations and telecommunications rules.

In addition, the parties agreed to establish a joint technical committee to monitor implementation of the agreement, recommend updates, promote best practices, and review complaints related to potential violations of the new standards.