Goodwin’s Consumer Finance Insights (CFI) monitors, reports, and analyzes the latest legal news, activity, and developments impacting the consumer finance industry. Consumer financial services companies—whether banks, fintechs, nonbank and alternative lenders, payment providers, or industry vendors or service providers, like digital advertisers and lead generators—face a constantly shifting and maturing regulatory and legal landscape. Growing from the Financial Crisis, today more than any time in history the consumer finance industry must confront a robust and growing body of industry legislation and regulation, all while under the microscope of sophisticated enforcers, like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and state regulators and attorneys general. It is critical for in-house and outside corporate counsel, compliance departments, and business executives to stay informed and aware of these developments to navigate institutional, reputational, and legal risks. Goodwin’s CFI is a singular source of the most recent industry news and latest enforcement activity for you to leverage. Here, you will find links to original enforcement documents, enforcement activity statistics, and reports, analysis, and commentary from Goodwin’s leading Consumer Financial Services Litigation and Enforcement practitioners.

Colorado AG Files Suit Against Corporation Targeting Military Personnel

Colorado

On May 8, 2015, the Colorado Attorney General announced that it filed suit against a Colorado corporation for violations of Colorado lending and consumer protection laws. The company allegedly sought members of the military and their families as customers. The company would then sell goods on credit, offer consumer loans, and then collect…

Read More

CFPB Settles Claims with Corporations that Targeted Struggling Homeowners

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) settled claims with three defendants after the CFPB claimed the corporations were targeting homeowners who were struggling to make mortgage payments.  The parties stipulated to final judgments for the individual defendants that were filed with the Court.  The CFPB also filed a motion for default judgment as…

Read More

Illinois AG Sues Student Loan Debt Settlement Companies Under State Consumer Protection Laws

Piggy Bank with a Graduation Cap

On May 4, 2015, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced five lawsuits filed on behalf of the State against student loan debt settlement services companies based in Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, and Illinois. The complaints allege that the companies violated Illinois’ consumer protection laws by charging hundreds to thousands of…

Read More

Federal Court Enters Preliminary Injunction Against Mortgage Relief Company

FTC

On April 30, 2015, the FTC announced that a Federal Court entered a preliminary injunction against a regional mortgage relief company over claims the company falsely represented to consumers that they could obtain mortgage modifications. The company allegedly represented that it was associated with various federally-approved mortgage relief programs, and…

Read More

CFPB and Maryland Attorney General File Complaint Against Title Company Alleging Improper Kickback Scheme

On April 29, 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Maryland Attorney General announced the filing of a complaint and proposed consent order against a regional title insurance company, its principals, and certain loan officers. The title company allegedly provided payments to loan officers in exchange for referrals for…

Read More

Mortgage Servicer Agrees to Pay More Than $60 million for Alleged “Abusive” Collection Practices

The mortgage servicing industry remains under scrutiny, as evidenced by the recent joint enforcement action against Green Tree Servicing, LLC by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).   In a joint complaint filed in Minnesota, the regulators allege that Green Tree, through its collection activities…

Read More

National Mortgage Servicing Company Enters Proposed Consent Order Over Loss-Mitigation Activities

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) announced that it and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) entered into  a Proposed Consent Order with  a national mortgage servicing company over allegations that its loss-mitigation activities violated the Federal Trade Commission Act (“FTCA”), the Consumer Financial Protection Act (“CFPA”), the Fair Debt Collection Practices…

Read More

Military Allotment Payroll Processor Enters Consent Order With CFPB Over Fees

On April 20, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that it entered a Consent Order with a military payroll processor over allegations that the payroll processor applied hidden monthly fees against funds in servicemembers’ accounts, which were designated to pay creditors. The CFPB found that servicemembers usually contracted with…

Read More

Military Financial Services Provider Settles With CFPB for Alleged Failure to Disclose Fees

On April 20, 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) announced that it entered a settlement with a Kentucky-based financial services provider over claims that the company charged excessive fees for the payroll deductions of military servicemen, and that it failed to disclose these fees to consumers. The copany allegedly…

Read More

Tax-Refund Lender Settles Predatory Lending Claims Brought By CFPB

On April 14, 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) announced that it reached a settlement with a New Mexico-based tax-refund lender over claims that the lender steered borrowers to excessively costly products, failed to accurately disclose the APR for loans, and failed to notify the availability of refunds.  The CFPB alleged in…

Read More