Opinion ID: 725553
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: applicability of the fair debt collection practices act

Text: 7 USA Funds concedes for the purposes of this appeal that it is a debt collector under the FDCPA. 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6). However, USA Funds asserts that Congress did not intend for the FDCPA to apply to GSL guaranty agencies. 8 We hold that USA Funds is subject to the FDCPA. The FDCPA proscribes abusive collection practices by any person ... who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another. Id. The FDCPA does not provide an exemption for guaranty agencies that acquire a student loan after default in order to pursue its collection. See § 1692 et seq. The Secretary of Education has also explicitly stated that GSL third party collectors and their collection activity remain subject to the FDCPA. 55 Fed.Reg. 40120, 40121 (1990).USA FUNDS AND THE GOVERNMENT ACTOR EXEMPTION 9 USA Funds contends and the district court held that a GSL guaranty agency is exempt from the FDCPA under § 1692a(6)(C), which exempts any officer or employee of the United States or any State to the extent that collecting or attempting to collect any debt is in the performance of his official duties. 10 Reversing the district court, we hold that USA Funds is not a government actor exempt from the FDCPA under § 1692a(6)(C). [W]here a statute names the parties which come within its provisions, other unnamed parties are excluded. Foxgord v. Hischemoeller, 820 F.2d 1030, 1034 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 986, 108 S.Ct. 503, 98 L.Ed.2d 502 (1987). This exemption applies only to an individual government official or employee who collects debts as part of his government employment responsibilities. USA Funds is a private nonprofit organization with a government contract; it is not a government agency or employee.