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Nationwide Credit, Inc., of Atlanta, Georgia, has agreed to pay a $1 million civil penalty as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission to resolve allegations that the company violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The $1 million civil penalty is the largest ever in a debt collection case. According to the FTC, Nationwide's debt collectors harassed consumers, made false and misleading representations, failed to send required validation notices, failed to verify debts when requested to do so by consumers, and made impermissible third party contacts regarding consumers' debts. Many of these allegations are the same as charges the FTC made against Nationwide in 1992. The consent filed in 1992 also prohibited violations of the FDCPA and required Nationwide to pay a $100,000 civil penalty.