On August 21, the CFPB filed a complaint and stipulated final judgment in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California against a fintech service provider in Chapter 11 proceedings. The Bureau alleged...more
On August 8, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued an opinion partially granting an earned wage access (EWA) provider’s motion to dismiss that challenged whether the company operated as an unlicensed...more
On August 7, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed a district court’s dismissal of a putative class action alleging violations of the Washington Consumer Protection Act (WCPA) against a company offering a...more
On July 29, the Massachusetts Attorney General issued updated business guidance and a webinar explaining the state’s new “junk fee” regulations under the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act, which take effect on September...more
On July 14, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona granted the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a temporary restraining order against multiple defendants operating a nationwide debt relief scheme. The...more
On April 30, the FTC filed a stipulated order for a permanent injunctive relief and a monetary judgment against a Georgia-based debt collection company and its owner, which the court granted on May 9, to resolve allegations...more
On May 12, the CFPB formally withdrew nearly 70 guidance materials—including policy statements, advisory opinions, circulars, and interpretive rules—through a Federal Register notice issued by Acting Director Russell...more
5/16/2025
/ Advisory Opinions ,
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Debt Collection ,
Earned Wage Access ,
Federal Register ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
UDAAP ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On April 30, 2025, the FTC filed an amended complaint and final order in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against a debt collection company in connection with allegations that the company engaged...more
5/9/2025
/ Consent Order ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Debt Collection ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FDCPA ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
GLBA Privacy ,
Penalties ,
Settlement ,
UDAAP ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On May 1, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ordered the former owner of a now-defunct debt-relief company to pay over $43 million in restitution and penalties. The order resolves a lawsuit filed...more
On April 23, the CFPB voluntarily dismissed with prejudice its lawsuit, filed in September 2024, against a Pennsylvania-based credit card company that had been accused of unlawfully marketing a high-cost, limited-use...more
On April 17, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced that the state has filed a lawsuit against a wholesale mortgage lender, alleging that the company engaged in a statewide scheme to mislead borrowers and inflate mortgage...more
On March 27, the FTC announced that a fintech company offering cash advances through a mobile app has agreed to pay $17 million to resolve allegations that it violated the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence...more
3/31/2025
/ Consent ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Advertising ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
FinTech ,
Mobile Apps ,
ROSCA ,
Settlement ,
Subscription Services ,
UDAAP ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On January 17, the Pennsylvania Attorney General filed a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against a group of mortgage brokers and their manager, alleging that they...more
In a March 10 blog post, the new Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection (BCP) reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enforcing consumer protection laws through Civil Investigation Demands (CIDs).
A CID is a...more
In a March 10 blog post, the new Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection (BCP) reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enforcing consumer protection laws through Civil Investigation Demands (CIDs)....more
On March 13, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the introduction of the Fostering Affordability and Integrity through Reasonable Business Practices Act (FAIR Business Practices Act). The proposed legislation...more
3/24/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Debt Collection ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State Attorneys General ,
Student Loans ,
Technology Sector ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
The CFPB has recently dismissed two more enforcement actions—one against a major credit reporting agency and another against a lease-to-own financing provider. Both lawsuits involved allegations of abusive, unfair, and...more
3/17/2025
/ Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fair Lending ,
False Advertising ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fraud ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Small Business Loans ,
Telemarketing Sales Rule ,
UDAAP ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
The CFPB has recently dismissed two more enforcement actions—one against a major credit reporting agency and another against a lease-to-own financing provider. Both lawsuits involved allegations of abusive, unfair, and...more
3/17/2025
/ Consent Order ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Consumer Lenders ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Debt Collection ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
UDAAP ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On March 3, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced new regulations, issued under the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act, aimed at curbing “junk fees” by requiring businesses to disclose total prices...more
3/17/2025
/ Consumer Protection Laws ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Fees ,
New Regulations ,
Pricing ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Attorneys General ,
Transparency ,
UDAAP ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On March 1, and despite recent policy shifts under the new administration, the CFPB sent a letter to the judge overseeing its lawsuit against a fintech lender in the United States District Court for the Southern District of...more
In an order issued in January and made public on February 24, a judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted class certification to consumers alleging a fintech lender’s loan...more
3/3/2025
/ California ,
Class Action ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Fees ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Lenders ,
State and Local Government ,
State Attorneys General ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On February 23, the CFPB filed a joint stipulation in the United District Court for the Central District of California to dismiss its lawsuit against an online lending platform. The lawsuit, originally filed in May 2024,...more
On January 22, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a $1 billion settlement with a now defunct cash advance firm and its officers. The settlement resolves allegations that the firm and its officers repeatedly...more
On January 23, 2025 the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) announced proposed regulations to curb overdraft fees and insufficient funds fees charged by banks in New York. The proposed rules aim to protect...more
2/3/2025
/ Banking Sector ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Fees ,
Financial Institutions ,
New York ,
NYDFS ,
Overdraft Fees ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On January 24, 2025, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down an FTC rule aimed at curbing deceptive advertising and sales practices in the auto industry. The rule, which sought to prohibit certain “junk fees” and...more
2/3/2025
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Advertising ,
Automotive Industry ,
Compliance ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Advertising ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fees ,
Final Rules ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Scams ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices