Consumer litigation activity moved higher across the board in April 2026, with WebRecon’s latest data showing the first month since March 2025 in which all three of the leading consumer protection statutes increased at the same time. Filings under the FCRA rose 4.6% from March, FDCPA filings climbed 9.2%, and TCPA filings jumped 16.6%, the largest monthly gain of the three. CFPB complaint volume was the lone category to retreat, falling 19.2% from March, though it remains well ahead of where it stood a year ago. Despite that single dip, year-to-date figures across all four categories remain firmly above 2025 levels, confirming that the elevated litigation environment that defined last year has carried through the first four months of 2026.
Two features of the current litigation landscape continued to stand out in April. TCPA class actions maintained their historically elevated trajectory, comprising 77.3% of all TCPA filings, a proportion that amplifies financial exposure well beyond what the monthly filing count alone would suggest. Repeat plaintiffs also remained a significant presence, with approximately 42% of individuals filing suit in April having previously brought at least one consumer protection action. Together, these dynamics reinforce that the rise in monthly volume reflects not only more activity but persistent, concentrated litigation risk for financial services companies operating in the consumer space.
Key Statistics
· Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): 974 cases filed in April (20 as class actions), a 4.6% increase from March and a 60.7% increase compared to April 2025.
· Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA): 451 cases filed (28 as class actions), a 9.2% increase from March and a 34.6% increase compared to April 2025.
· Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA): 330 cases filed (255 as class actions), a 16.6% increase from March and a 40.4% increase compared to April 2025.
· Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Complaints: 26,988 complaints submitted in April, a 19.2% decrease from March and a 29.0% increase compared to April 2025.
· Unique Plaintiffs: Approximately 1,441 unique plaintiffs (including multiple plaintiffs in one suit).
· Repeat Filers: About 606, or 42%, of those plaintiffs had previously sued under consumer statutes.
· Year-to-Date (YTD) Totals: 5,575 total lawsuits filed through April 2026, including 1,613 FDCPA cases, 3,520 FCRA cases, and 1,128 TCPA cases. All categories remain above their respective 2025 YTD totals, with FCRA up 45.3%, FDCPA up 17.6%, and TCPA up 28.2%. CFPB complaints also remain elevated, up 40.9% compared to the same period in 2025.
Most Active Courts
Illinois Northern District Court – Chicago (133 lawsuits); Georgia Northern District Court – Atlanta (132 lawsuits); California Central District Court – Western Division – Los Angeles (108 lawsuits); Florida Middle District Court – Tampa (56 lawsuits); California Central District Court – Southern Division – Santa Ana (53 lawsuits); Florida Southern District Court – Fort Lauderdale (49 lawsuits); Florida Middle District Court – Orlando (45 lawsuits); California Southern District Court – San Diego (41 lawsuits); Texas Southern District Court – Houston (36 lawsuits); Florida Southern District Court – Miami (34 lawsuits).
Top States for CFPB Complaints
Texas (4,925 complaints); Florida (2,864 complaints); California (2,133 complaints); Georgia (2,095 complaints); North Carolina (1,212 complaints); South Carolina (1,125 complaints); New York (998 complaints); Illinois (988 complaints); Pennsylvania (949 complaints); Louisiana (682 complaints).
April’s data marks a notable shift in tone after months of mixed and offsetting results. For the first time since March 2025, FCRA, FDCPA, and TCPA filings all advanced in the same month, signaling broad-based engagement by plaintiffs’ counsel rather than movement concentrated in a single statute. TCPA’s 16.6% jump is particularly worth watching given that the overwhelming majority of those filings continue to be brought as putative class actions, magnifying exposure well beyond the headline count. The month’s only decline, a 19.2% drop in CFPB complaints, did little to change the broader picture, as complaint volume remains well above year-ago levels and all four categories continue to track meaningfully ahead of their 2025 baselines through the first four months of the year. With litigation activity now rising across every major statute at once, consumer finance companies should maintain robust compliance programs, proactive complaint monitoring, and litigation readiness as the year progresses.