To embed, copy and paste the code into your website or blog: The Sixth Circuit recently weighed in on whether there is a “benign language” exception to Section 1692f(8) of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (the “FDCPA”). In Donovan v. FirstCredit, Inc., No. 20-3485, 2020 U.S. App. LEXIS 39798 (6 th Cir. Dec. 18, 2020), the Court joined the Third and Seventh Circuits in holding that Section 1692f(8)’s plain text unambiguously prohibits markings on envelopes other than those necessary for sending communications through the mail. In Donovan, the debt collector sent a letter with two glassine windows. One of the windows revealed the consumer’s name and address. The other window revealed an empty checkbox followed by the phrase “Payment in full enclosed.” Depending on how the letter was situated, this second window sometimes also revealed an additional empty checkbox followed by “I need to discuss this further. My phone number is __________.”