Opinion ID: 624915
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Hendrickson qualifies as a debt collector under the FDCPA.

Text: Section 1692a(6) defines a debt collector for the purposes of the FDCPA. A debt collector is any person who uses any instrumentality of interstate commerce or the mails in any business the principal purpose of which is the collection of any debts, or who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another. Id. We have previously held that an individual working for a corporation may independently qualify as a debt collector under the statute. Fox v. Citicorp Credit Servs., 15 F.3d 1507, 1513 (9th Cir.1994) (Attorneys, like all other persons, are subject to the definition of `debt collector' in 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6)). Hendrickson is the sole owner, officer, and director of ICC. ICC has been his sole employer since January 1986. Hendrickson himself stated at a deposition that he ha[s] to do everything for ICC, including collection duties. The various duties that Hendrickson performed as ICC's sole officer and director qualify him as one who uses any instrumentality of interstate commerce or the mails in any business the principal purpose of which is the collection of any debts, or who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another. 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6). Under Fox, Hendrickson qualifies as a debt collector.