On July 12, the CFPB issued a consent order against a FinTech company for facilitating point of sale financing activities without authorization from consumers. The consent order requires the company to pay up to approximately $9 million in redress to impacted consumers and a $2.5 million civil money penalty.
Continue Reading CFPB Takes Action Against FinTech Company for Originating Unauthorized Loans
On June 29, the CFPB and the Georgia Attorney General’s Office settled with a debt-relief and credit-repair company and its owners for allegedly deceiving consumers into hiring the company to lower or eliminate credit-card debts and improve consumers’ credit scores. The complaint alleges that the plaintiffs’ use of telemarketing and direct mail violated the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, the Consumer Financial Protection Act, and Georgia’s Fair Business Practices Act by, among other things, falsely claiming that:
Continue Reading CFPB and Georgia AG Settle With Debt-Relief Company
On June 29, NYDFS announced that two New York-charted banks engaging in indirect auto lending will pay civil money penalties for violating New York’s fair lending law for engaging in practices that resulted in members of protected classes paying higher interest rates that were not based on creditworthiness. In particular, NYDFS asserts that the practice of allowing “dealer markup” in setting retail interest rates resulted in statistically significant differences in pricing, disadvantaging Hispanic and African-American consumers, with differences ranging from 20 to 59 basis points.
Continue Reading DFS Settles with Indirect Auto Lenders to Resolve Fair Lending Violations
On June 29, the CFPB released its summer 2021 Supervisory Highlights. The findings of the report, which cover examinations that generally were completed between January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, are issued to “help institutions and the general public better understand how the Bureau examines institutions for compliance with Federal consumer financial law.”
Continue Reading CFPB Issues Summer 2020 Supervisory Highlights
On June 16, the CFPB issued an interpretive rule reversing its prior determination that it lacked authority to examine institutions for compliance with the Military Lending Act (MLA). In 2018, the CFPB discontinued checking for MLA compliance during supervisory examinations on the grounds that Congress had not authorized such examination authority under the Dodd-Frank Act. As a result, the new interpretive rule sets forth the statutory basis to examine institutions that it supervises for MLA compliance as follows:
Continue Reading CFPB to Resume Examinations Under the Military Lending Act
On June 4, the CFPB issued eight updated FAQs to the unauthorized transfer and error resolution provisions under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) and Regulation E. Highlights from the FAQs include the following:
Continue Reading CFPB Issues FAQs on Electronic Fund Transfers
On April 5, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) proposed amendments to Regulation X with the effect of preventing foreclosure on certain residential mortgage loans until January 1, 2022.[1]
Continue Reading CFPB Announces Foreclosure Restriction and Additional Loss Mitigation Requirements
On August 31, both houses of the California legislature passed and sent to Governor Newsom for signature the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (the CCFPL). Effective on January 1, 2021 if Governor Newsom signs the bill (which he is expected to do), the Department of Business Oversight will be replaced by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). Much of the law comes directly from Title X of the Dodd-Frank Act, with a particular focus on consumer protection. While the DBO has authority to enforce specific laws, the focus of the DFPI will be on the kinds of products and services that are offered, without linking the agency’s authority to particular statutes.
Continue Reading California Legislature Passes Mini-CFPB Bill; If You Liked The Department Of Business Oversight, Get Ready For The Department Of Financial Protection And Innovation
On June 9 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published a Factsheet on how to disclose title insurance on the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure, including when a negative owner’s title insurance cost disclosure is appropriate, and updated the TRID FAQs to include guidance on the total of payments disclosure, using the optional signature line on the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure, and the requirement to include seller information on the consumer’s disclosures if providing separate Closing Disclosures. This blog discusses the Factsheet, and sets forth the four questions added to the FAQ, along with brief answers.
Continue Reading CFPB Issues Factsheet On TRID Title Insurance Disclosures And Updates TRID FAQ