<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gfi" article_name="Financial Institutions" number="12-920" title_number="12" title_name="Miscellaneous Institutions and Activities" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Maryland Debt Management Services Act">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A licensee may not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Purchase any debt or obligation of a consumer;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Lend money or provide credit to a consumer;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Obtain a mortgage or other security interest in property owned by a consumer;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Operate as a collection agency, as defined in § 7–101 of the Business Regulation Article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Structure a debt management services agreement in a manner that would result in a negative amortization of any of the consumer’s debts;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Make any false, misleading, or deceptive representations or omissions of information in connection with the offer, sale, or performance of any service;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>Offer, pay, or give a substantial gift, bonus, premium, reward, or other compensation to a person for referring a prospective customer to the licensee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>Offer an incentive, including a gift, bonus, premium, reward, or other compensation, to a consumer for executing a debt management services agreement with the licensee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>Charge for or provide credit insurance;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>Compromise any debts of a consumer unless the licensee has obtained the prior written approval of the consumer, and the compromise benefits the consumer;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="11">
      <text>Enter into a contract or fee–for–service arrangement with a person owned, controlled by, or affiliated with an officer, a director, or an employee of the debt management services provider, or with a relative of an officer, a director, or an employee, that benefits an officer, a director, or an employee of the debt management services provider;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="12">
      <text>Advertise, display, distribute, broadcast, televise, or otherwise publish debt management service rates, terms, or services in a false, misleading, or deceptive manner;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="13">
      <text>Pay an incentive to an employee for enrolling a consumer in a debt management services plan or agreement; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="14">
      <text>Violate any provision of federal or State law governing debt management services or other related services.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Notwithstanding any other provision of State law, a licensee may not, directly or indirectly, collect any fee for referring, advising, procuring, arranging, or assisting a consumer in obtaining any extension of credit or other consumer service from a lender or service provider if the licensee, or any owner, officer, director, principal, or employee of the licensee, is an owner, partner, director, officer, or employee of the lender or service provider.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>This subsection does not prohibit a licensee from referring, advising, procuring, arranging, or assisting a consumer in obtaining any extension of credit or other consumer service from a lender or service provider of which the licensee, or any owner, officer, director, principal, or employee of the licensee, is an owner, partner, director, officer, or employee, if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The licensee does not directly or indirectly collect any fee; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The consumer is provided with a written disclosure of the relationship.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
