The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reached a $100 million settlement with Vonage over allegations that the internet phone service provider violated the FTC and Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) by adding “junk fees” and using “dark patterns” to make it difficult for consumers to cancel. In addition to the fine that will be used
On October 31, a Texas federal court ordered a stay in a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) enforcement action, pending the issuance of the Fifth Circuit mandate in Community Financial Services Association of America Ltd. v. CFPB, which declared the CFPB funding mechanism unconstitutional. In the enforcement action CFPB v. Populus Financial Group, Inc.
Five Democratic Senators — Elizabeth Warren (MA), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Brian Schatz (HI), Jack Reed (RI), and Alex Padilla (CA) — recently petitioned the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to “take action to eliminate hidden fees associated with international remittance payments.”
The Remittance Transfer Rule requires transfer providers to provide prepayment disclosures to consumers prior
Pursuant to its authority under Section 1022(b)(1) of the Dodd-Frank Act, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an advisory opinion to consumer reporting agencies (CRAs), highlighting their obligation to screen for and eliminate obviously false data from consumers’ credit reports. Specifically, CRAs were instructed to implement policies, procedures, and systems to screen for and
On October 18, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a complaint in a Texas federal court against Active Network LLC (Active) for allegedly tricking people, when trying to sign up for a fundraising race or other community event, into subscribing to its discount club Active Advantage.
Specifically, the complaint alleges Active inserted a webpage
On October 20, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, seeking public comment on the harms stemming from what it characterizes as “junk fees,” i.e., fees that are allegedly unnecessary, unavoidable, or unexpected, and that inflate costs while adding little value. The term also encompasses “hidden fees,” which are fees
In a major decision released October 19, a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found the funding mechanism for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) to be unconstitutional. Specifically, the court in Community Financial Services Association of America, Ltd. v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau held the CFPB’s funding violates the
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reached a $3.38 million settlement with Passport Automotive Group (Passport) and two of its officers over allegations that the automotive group violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the FTC Act by adding “junk fees” onto the cost of its vehicles and discriminating against Black and Latino consumers by charging
On September 27, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1311, the Military and Veteran Consumer Protection Act of 2022 (the Act), into law. The Act takes direct aim at, among other things, the Military Lending Act’s (MLA) exceptions for loans obtained to purchase motor vehicles and other forms of personal property. It goes
On October 13, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its 12th Annual Report to Congress on college credit card agreements. The report reviewed agreements and data covering the over 1.2 million student checking and credit card accounts that are governed by partnerships between institutions of higher education and financial services providers, and it highlighted