In Aley v. Lightfire Partners, LLC, a U.S. District Court in the Northern District of New York certified aa Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) class action for all persons whose telephone numbers were on the National Do Not Call Registry (DNC) but who received more than one telemarketing call from the defendant based on alleged consent given to a third-party website.
In this special crossover episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast and Moving the Metal, Troutman Pepper attorneys Brooke Conkle and Chris Capurso discuss the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) new report on negative equity in auto lending. This report, the first of its kind, utilizes data from the CFPB’s 2023 Auto Finance Data Pilot, which was issued to major banks, finance companies, and captive lenders. Brooke and Chris analyze the impact of the report, including what the report may indicate for the CFPB’s upcoming priorities.
On September 17, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) published Circular 2024-05 (Circular) addressing whether a financial institution violates the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) and Regulation E by charging overdraft fees for ATM and one-time debit card transactions without proof of the consumer’s affirmative consent to enrollment in covered overdraft services. (According to the CFPB’s press release, the Bureau considers this to be a “phantom opt-in.”) The Bureau’s response is clear: Yes, charging fees in these circumstances can indeed constitute a violation of EFTA and Regulation E.
In this episode, Chris Carlson, an associate in the Regulatory, Investigations, Strategy and Enforcement (RISE) practice, joins Brooke and Chris to discuss how federal and state regulators are collaborating on consumer protection investigations. The team discusses a recent order and action against an Arizona-based auto dealer for multiple Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices (UDAP) violations. While contemplating whether this is a growing trend, the trio meanders into discussions about the CARS Rule and the potential impact of November’s election on the industry.
On September 9, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada granted summary judgment in favor of a debt collector in a case involving alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) based on phone calls the plaintiff received related to her medical debt.
On October 9, 2024, at 4 p.m. CT, the Fifth Circuit will hear oral arguments in the ongoing litigation challenging the FTC’s Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Rule. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the Texas Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) have raised significant procedural and data-based objections to the rule, which purportedly aims to curb deceptive sales practices and eliminate “junk fees” in the car-buying process.
A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirming a decision compelling arbitration provides a “how to” guideline for using online terms and conditions to form a binding agreement.
This article was republished on Westlaw Today on September 25, 2024.
Any business involved in motor vehicle installment financing in New Hampshire needs to assess the multiple and significant changes to a key law that have been enacted with immediate effect.
In this episode of the Moving the Metal podcast, hosts Brooke Conkle and Chris Capurso delve into the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This report responds to the CFPB’s request for information to aid in preparing its annual report to Congress. The episode provides an overview of the FTC’s enforcement activities and regulatory efforts over the past year, emphasizing the agency’s focus on protecting consumers from deceptive practices in the financial services and automotive industries. Key points discussed include the purpose of the report, the FTC’s authority, a review of some litigation highlights, and how the CARS rule fits into the equation.
On August 27, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced an update to the fees telemarketers must pay to access phone numbers on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry for the fiscal year 2025. The revised fees will take effect on October 1, 2024.