On Tuesday, December 5, 2017, the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) levelled a heavy blow on a major regulatory initiative of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”): its highly controversial “disparate impact” discrimination theories as applied to pricing in the indirect automobile financing industry. The specific GAO ruling finds that a 2013 “Bulletin” stating the CFPB’s
A recent report released by the Center for Microeconomic Data at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that American household debt continues to increase, including debt resulting from automobile loan balances. The third quarter of 2017 saw a $116 billion increase, continuing a march upward since mid-2013.
The report specifically addressed the growth
The Third Circuit recently clarified in important ways its ascertainability standard for class actions under Rule 23 in a case that arose from the efforts of an auto finance company to generate business by marketing efforts directed at automobile dealers. The decision reflects two key findings: (1) that defendants who argue a class is not
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced two settlements with motor vehicle dealer groups that provide for over $900,000 in restitution to approximately 6,400 New York State consumers. The settlements also require the dealers to pay $135,000 in penalties and costs to the state for the unlawful sale of credit repair and identity theft protection
On September 26, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s office filed a complaint against used car dealer JD Byrider, accusing the dealership of using predatory practices in its sale of allegedly defective vehicles. The AG’s Office contends that JD Byrider sold allegedly defective vehicles with high cost loans to Massachusetts consumers in the “JD Byrider Program,”
In November 2016, the Federal Trade Commission announced its final changes to the Used Car Rule, formally referred to as the Used Motor Vehicle Trade Regulation Rule, which requires motor vehicle dealers to display a winder sticker, known as the “Buyers Guide,” on used vehicles offered for sale. Due to numerous questions raised by
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently released its Summer 2017 Supervisory Highlights, which summarizes the agency’s supervisory activities during the first half of this year.
Looking to the numbers. From January through June, the CFPB’s nonpublic supervisory activities led to restitution payments that totaled approximately $14 million, and public enforcement actions that netted an
Lawsuits under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) have become the second most common form of consumer protection claim brought in federal court. Many of these lawsuits are premised on the idea that a consumer has the absolute right to revoke previously given consent to receive calls. A calling party could be subject to statutory
On June 2, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a settlement with a Jacksonville car dealership, its financing arm, and its president related to allegations that the dealership engaged in misleading business and sales practices. The consent agreement, filed in the Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit for Duval County, Florida, requires the dealership
On April 18, the United States Supreme Court heard long-awaited oral arguments in a case that addresses the fundamental issue of the definition of a “debt collector” under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The Supreme Court’s decision will resolve an existing Circuit split on whether an entity that purchases defaulted debts and then attempts