On March 14, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed House Bill (HB) 418 that would have created a vehicle for class actions in Virginia state courts and would have broadened statutory damages under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (VCPA).
David N. Anthony
David Anthony handles litigation against consumer financial services businesses and other highly regulated companies across the United States. He is a strategic thinker who balances his extensive litigation experience with practical business advice to solve companies’ hardest problems.
Report Shows Credit Reporting Issues Dominate CFPB Consumer Complaints
Consumer reporting dominates complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), according to a new report.
New York Federal District Court Holds the Reasonableness of Investigation Into Alleged Identity Theft is a Factual Question under the FCRA
A U.S. district court in the Eastern District of New York recently denied a motion for summary judgment filed by a credit card issuer because the plaintiff alleged identity theft and a reasonable factfinder could determine the issuer’s investigation was willfully unreasonable under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
January Consumer Litigation Filings: Everything Way Up
According to a recent report by WebRecon, court filings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) were up double digits percentages from December 2023. The biggest jump was in TCPA filings, which increased by 78.6%!
Kentucky Introduces Legislation Requiring CRAs to Obtain Express Consumer Consent Prior to Furnishing a Consumer Report or Credit Score
On February 16, Kentucky state representative Steve Bratcher (R) introduced House Bill (HB) 578. The bill seeks to create a new section of the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act that would restrict how consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) share individual’s information with third parties under specific conditions, mandating explicit consent from the consumer.
Third Circuit Finds Pennsylvania’s Consumer Discount Company Act Does Not Apply to Debt Collectors
In representing fintech companies and other lenders, we increasingly confront claims against debt buyers or entities with bank partner relationships brought under Pennsylvania’s Consumer Discount Company Act (CDCA) and the Loan Interest and Protection Law (LIPL). This article highlights a recent case addressing the CDCA decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
FTC Issues Supplemental Rulemaking to Combat Impersonation Fraud
Yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, seeking public comment on its proposal to amend the Rule on Impersonation of Government and Businesses (Impersonation Rule or Rule), that is being finalized by the FTC today, to add a prohibition on the impersonation of individuals. The amendment would also extend liability for violations of the Impersonation Rule to parties who provide goods and services with knowledge or reason to know that those goods or services will be used in illegal impersonations. The FTC stated the impetus for the amendment is the surging number of complaints it has received around impersonation fraud, including “deepfakes” generated using artificial intelligence (AI).
Virginia House Bill 418 Could Authorize Class Action Lawsuits in the Commonwealth
Virginia is currently one of only two states that does not allow class-action lawsuits in its courts. However, that could change soon as House Bill (HB) 418, originally introduced on January 10, 2024, seeks to create a class-action framework loosely modeled on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. On February 9, HB 418 passed the House of Delegates and will be sent to the Senate for consideration.
Supreme Court Holds Government Agencies are Not Immune from FCRA Liability
On February 8, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Department of Agriculture Rural Development Rural Housing Service (USDA) v. Kirtz, holding that the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s (FCRA) clear statutory text indicates a government agency can be sued for a FCRA violation. The decision resolved a circuit split. The D.C., Third, and Seventh Circuits have allowed FCRA litigation against government agencies, but the Fourth and Ninth Circuits have found governmental immunity prevents such suits.
Nevada Federal Court Declines to Decide at Summary Judgment Stage Whether Pre-Dispute Investigation Was Sufficient to Satisfy FCRA
A federal district court judge in Nevada recently denied competing motions for summary judgment in a Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) furnisher investigation case, demonstrating the challenges FCRA litigants often face in convincing courts to decide cases on matters of law.