The CFPB will be publishing a notice in tomorrow’s Federal Register indicating that it plans to seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget “to conduct a mail survey of consumers to learn about their experiences interacting with the debt collection industry.” 

According to the notice, the survey will ask consumers about: their experiences with debt collectors (such as whether they have previously been contacted by debt collectors), whether they recognized the debt that was being collected, their interactions with the debt collectors, their preferences for how they would like to be contacted by debt collectors, opinions about potential regulatory interventions in debt collection markets, and their knowledge of their legal rights regarding debt collection. 

The CFPB plans to use the survey results in connection with its debt collection rulemaking.  Comments on the notice will be due on or before May 6, 2014.