SECTION 24A. Term of license; bond; registration; rules and regulations

(a) No person shall directly or indirectly engage in the commonwealth in the business of a debt collector, or engage in the commonwealth in soliciting the right to collect or receive payment for another of an account, bill or other indebtedness, or advertise for or solicit in print the right to collect or receive payment for another of an account, bill or other indebtedness, without first obtaining from the commissioner a license to carry on the business, nor unless the person or the person for whom he or it may be acting as agent has on file with the state treasurer a good and sufficient bond.

(b) A person shall not directly or indirectly engage in the commonwealth in the business of a third party loan servicer without registering with the commissioner. A registrant shall not be required to comply with sections 24F to 27, inclusive.

(c) This section shall not apply to a bank as defined in section 1 of chapter 167, a national banking association, federal savings bank, federal savings and loan association, federal credit union, or any bank, trust company, savings bank, savings and loan association or credit union organized under the laws of any other state of the United States, or any subsidiary of the above; but except as provided herein, this section shall apply to a subsidiary or affiliate, as defined by the commissioner, of an exempted entity and of a bank holding company established in accordance with state or federal law. The commissioner may adopt, amend or repeal rules and regulations, to aid in the administration and enforcement of this chapter.

(d) The commissioner may from time to time establish regulations pertaining to the conduct of the business of a debt collector or a third party loan servicer as he considers necessary.