CFPB: New Report Details Family Finances and Debt in Rural Appalachia
Appalachians Face Higher Debt Burdens and Worse Credit Conditions than Most Other Parts of Rural America The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued the first in a series of reports focusing on the finances of consumers living in rural areas. Today’s report focuses on rural Appalachians, who tend to earn less than consumers in…
CFPB: Agency Takes Action to Protect the Public from Unsafe Data Security Practices
Financial companies may be held liable for unfairly putting customers’ data at risk The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) confirmed in a circular published today that financial companies may violate federal consumer financial protection law when they fail to safeguard consumer data. The circular provides guidance to consumer protection enforcers, including examples of when firms…
CFPB: Agency Warns that Digital Marketing Providers Must Comply with Federal Consumer Finance Protections
Tech firms that use behavioral targeting of individual consumers regarding financial products are liable for violations Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an interpretive rule laying out when digital marketing providers for financial firms must comply with federal consumer financial protection law. Digital marketers that are involved in the identification or selection of…
CFPB: Justice Department and CFPB Caution Auto Finance Companies about Servicemember Protections
Joint Letter Reminds Auto Finance Companies of Key Federal Protections The Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a joint letter today reminding auto finance companies of their responsibilities to recognize important legal protections for military families under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). While servicemembers have the same rights as…
CFPB: Analysis Published on Potential Impacts of Medical Debt Credit Reporting Changes
Removing Paid Collections Will Have Limited Benefit Across Consumer Groups Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published an analysis of how actions announced by the three largest national consumer reporting companies – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion – will affect people who have allegedly unpaid medical debt on their credit reports. Nearly half of those…
CFPB: Advisory Issued to Protect Privacy When Companies Compile Personal Data
Advisory affirms that “permissible purposes” are required to use and share credit reports and background reports Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a legal interpretation to ensure that companies that use and share credit reports and background reports have a permissible purpose under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The CFPB’s new advisory opinion…
CFPB: Special Regulatory Treatment for Payactiv Rescinded
Termination Follows Request by Company in Order to Change its Product The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an order today terminating Payactiv’s Sandbox Approval Order relating to its earned wage access products. The CFPB had given Payactiv special regulatory treatment, including as to liability under a relevant federal consumer financial law with respect to…
CFPB: Agency Moves to Reduce Junk Fees Charged by Debt Collectors
Advisory opinion explains that most “pay-to-pay” fees charged by debt collectors violate federal law Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an advisory opinion affirming that federal law often prohibits debt collectors from charging “pay-to-pay” fees. These charges, commonly described by debt collectors as “convenience fees,” are imposed on consumers who want to make…
CFPB: Agency Affirms Ability for States to Police Credit Reporting Markets
The Fair Credit Reporting Act does not stop states from enacting laws to tackle credit reporting problems related to medical debt, tenant screening, and other consumer risks Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an interpretive rule affirming states’ abilities to protect their residents through their own fair credit reporting laws. With limited preemption…
CFPB: New Final Rule Issued with Credit Reporting Protections to Aid Survivors of Human Trafficking
CFPB Helps Survivors Mitigate the Financial Consequences of Human Trafficking Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule to help survivors avoid some of the financial consequences of human trafficking. The CFPB has established, among other things, a method for survivors of trafficking to submit documentation to credit reporting companies that identifies…