In a recent enforcement action highlighting its ongoing scrutiny of deceptive debt relief schemes, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has shut down an operation accused of falsely representing affiliations with government...more
Just a week from North Carlina Senators proposing Senate Bill 491, which seeks to create an act to license, examine, and regulate debt settlement services, North Carolina House Representatives Howard (R), Setzer (R), B. Jones...more
On February 28, 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB” or the “Bureau”) filed a letter with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York in a case brought by the CFPB and seven state attorneys...more
On February 24, 2025, California Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1166, which seeks to amend and expand the state’s existing Fair Debt Settlement Practices Act (the “Act”) to include...more
Washington -
On January 24, 2025, Washington Representatives Reeves (D), Corry (R), and Walen (D) introduced House Bill (HB) 1599, which seeks to amend the state’s existing debt adjusting act. Currently, the Washington law...more
On March 4, 2024, a federal trial court in New York immediately banned a slew of debt relief service providers from charging and/or collecting any advance fees for debt relief services, finding that the defendant’s initial...more
3/8/2024
/ Debt Relief ,
Debt-Relief Industry ,
Evidentiary Hearings ,
Face-to-Face Narrative Requirement ,
Fees ,
Independent Contractors ,
New York ,
Orders of Prohibition ,
Public Notaries ,
State Bans ,
Telemarketing Sales Rule ,
Trial Court Orders
On February 6, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) filed two proposed stipulated orders with a California federal court to permanently ban student debt relief companies as well as their individual operators. The...more
2/7/2024
/ California ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Debt Relief ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fees ,
Fraud ,
Fraudulent Marketing ,
FTC Act ,
Loan Forgiveness ,
Student Loans ,
Telemarketing Sales Rule ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
Recent Consent Order Issued by the DFPI Against Student Loan Relief Company -
On February 28, 2023, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) announced that it has entered into a Consent Order...more
3/2/2023
/ California ,
California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL) ,
Consent Order ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Debt Relief ,
Department of Education ,
Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fees ,
FTC Act ,
Loan Forgiveness ,
Student Loans ,
Telemarketing
On November 21, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District Of Tennessee granted the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC’s) ex parte motion for, among other relief, a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) to shut down an...more
12/1/2022
/ Debt Relief ,
Debt-Relief Industry ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Excessive Fees ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FTC Act ,
Regulatory Violations ,
Telemarketing ,
Telemarketing Sales Rule ,
TRO ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices