On March 13, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) released its draft Strategic Plan for FY 2026–2030 and accepted public comment through April 17. The plan, required under the Government Performance and Results Act, sets the Bureau’s mission and priorities for the next four years and explicitly aligns the CFPB’s regulatory strategy with President Trump’s pro‑growth, deregulatory agenda.
As reported by Law360, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has decided to move forward with its $68 million settlement with Colony Ridge Development LLC without seeking court approval or ongoing judicial oversight. The settlement at issue (discussed here) resolves DOJ and Texas reverse redlining and predatory lending claims in exchange for extensive operational reforms and $48 million in infrastructure improvements plus $20 million in law enforcement and public-safety spending, but no civil money penalties or direct monetary relief to borrowers.
In this second installment of Moving the Metal: The Auto Finance Podcast’s 2025 auto finance year in review, hosts Brooke Conkle and Chris Capurso unpack three emerging risk hotspots: service member auto lending, changes to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) larger-participant supervision, and state vehicle data privacy laws. They break down the CFPB’s 2025 Servicemember Auto Lending Report, proposed shifts to the auto larger-participant threshold, and New Jersey’s first-of-its-kind vehicle data deletion law — along with what each development means for compliance programs, dealer oversight, and litigation risk. Tune in to hear how federal and state trends are reshaping auto finance risk and what companies should be doing now to stay ahead in 2026.
According to a recent report by WebRecon, court filings under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) were way up for the month. On the other hand, Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) filings as well as complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) were all down. Nonetheless, everything is still up YTD.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken a highly visible step into the national debate over “debanking” by sending warning letters to several large payment networks and financial services providers, reminding them that deplatforming or denying customers access to financial products or services due to political or religious beliefs could violate their existing obligations under Section 5 of the FTC Act. The FTC’s letters signal a sharpened enforcement focus on how financial services firms manage account closures, suspensions, and access to services, particularly when political or religious views are implicated.
According to a recent report by WebRecon, court filings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), as well as complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) were all up compared to January 2025. Compared to December 2025, however, the results are mixed.
In this episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast, host Chris Willis examines signs that the CFPB is reactivating its supervisory and enforcement functions after a period of relative inactivity. The discussion notes reports that the CFPB plans to restart supervisory exams — likely remote, less burdensome, and focused on large banks — and raises questions about whether those exams will address debanking, despite the CFPB’s limited jurisdiction over nonconsumer banking relationships. The conversation also underscores that some previously dormant enforcement investigations are being revived, indicating a return to a more active CFPB.
On January 27, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Status of Reorganization Efforts (GAO‑26‑108448), that offers a detailed snapshot of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB or Bureau) ongoing downsizing and restructuring. This is the first of two GAO reports that focus on the CFPB’s reorganization and its ability to fulfill its statutory functions going forward.
In December 2023, we blogged about lawsuits filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and later the State of Texas against Colony Ridge and related entities. The complaints alleged that Colony Ridge targeted Hispanic borrowers with deceptive Spanish‑language marketing, sold largely undeveloped and flood‑prone land, and engaged in predatory financing by steering borrowers into high‑rate, seller‑financed mortgage loans with extremely high foreclosure rates.
According to a recent report by WebRecon, court filings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), as well as complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) all increased in 2025 compared to 2024. December 2025 filings also rose in every category except TCPA, which declined by only two cases.