On July 14, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) secured a court order aimed at halting allegedly deceptive practices against seven companies and three individuals operating the “Accelerated Debt” program. The defendants...more
7/28/2025
/ Debt ,
Debt Collection ,
Debt-Relief Industry ,
Elder Abuse ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Excessive Fees ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fraud ,
Retirement ,
Scams ,
Telemarketing ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On June 20, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) filed a statement of interest in support of converting the bankruptcy case of Synapse Financial Technologies, Inc. from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7, rather...more
6/26/2025
/ Bankruptcy Code ,
Chapter 11 ,
Chapter 7 ,
Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Conversion ,
Depository Institutions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Institutions ,
FinTech ,
Investment Funds ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On March 11, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court’s denial of a motion to compel arbitration in two class-action lawsuits. The decision potentially has far-reaching implications for the...more
3/14/2025
/ Arbitration ,
Arbitration Agreements ,
Choice-of-Law ,
Class Action ,
Consumer Contracts ,
Contract Modification ,
Contract Terms ,
Credit Cards ,
Dispute Resolution ,
Federal Arbitration Act ,
Illusory Contracts ,
Interest Rates ,
Maryland ,
Motion to Compel ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On March 10, Christopher Mufarrige, the newly-appointed Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), published a blog explaining the significance of Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs)...more
On February 27, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) successfully obtained a temporary restraining order against Blackrock Services, Inc. and its associated entities and individuals. The court order aims to halt the defendants’...more
3/12/2025
/ BlackRock ,
Consumer Fraud ,
Debt Collectors ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FDCPA ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FTC Act ,
Gramm-Leach-Blilely Act ,
Misrepresentation ,
Restraining Orders ,
Statutory Violations ,
TRO ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
This week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued a decision reversing a summary judgment order in a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) case. The court found that there were genuine issues of...more
1/31/2025
/ Appeals ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Debt Collection ,
Debt Collectors ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
FDCPA ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Summary Judgment ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a significant opinion vacating the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Combating Auto Retail Scams Trade Regulation Rule (CARS Rule). The decision came in...more
1/28/2025
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) ,
Appeals ,
Arbitrary and Capricious ,
Automotive Industry ,
Car Dealerships ,
CARS Rule ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Final Rules ,
FTC Act ,
Motor Vehicles ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Statutory Interpretation ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices ,
Vacated
In our previous post, we discussed the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s (NYC DCWP) decision to delay the enforcement of the amended debt collection rules from December 1, 2024, to April 1, 2025....more
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) proposed a new rule aimed at banning certain contractual provisions in agreements for consumer financial products or services. The CFPB’s proposal targets certain...more
1/15/2025
/ Arbitration Agreements ,
Comment Period ,
Consumer Financial Contracts ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Contract Terms ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Comment ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Small Business ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
In a significant enforcement action, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Illinois Attorney General have reached a $20 million settlement with Leader Automotive Group and its Canadian parent company, AutoCanada, over...more
12/23/2024
/ Car Dealerships ,
CARS Rule ,
Consumer Fraud ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Advertising ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
FTC Act ,
Online Reviews ,
Section 5 ,
Settlement ,
Statutory Violations ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices ,
Used Car Rule
On December 18, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued a circular to “other law enforcement agencies,” urging them to take action against certain credit card practices. The CFPB highlights alleged...more
Late last month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed suit against Global Circulation, Inc. (GCI) and its owner for engaging in deceptive and abusive debt collection practices. According to the FTC, the Georgia-based debt...more
On October 21, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a settlement with two debt settlement companies, Financial Solutions Group and Accelerated Debt Settlement....more
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) has issued a circular warning covered persons that including unlawful or unenforceable terms and conditions in consumer contracts can violate the prohibition on...more
6/6/2024
/ Arbitration ,
Consent Order ,
Consumer Financial Contracts ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Contract Terms ,
Covered Person ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Unenforceable Contract Terms ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
On April 17, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) entered a consent order against BloomTech, a for-profit vocational school, and its CEO, Austen Allred, for deceptive marketing practices related to...more
On December 12, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published the long-awaited regulation specific to motor vehicle dealers to address concerns of consumer deception in the sales process (Final Rule). In a 3-0 vote, the FTC...more
In Gebreseralse v. Columbia Debt Recovery, LLC, the plaintiff, a tenant under a residential lease agreement, vacated the premises early due to concerns over the property’s condition. In response, the property management...more
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison recently announced steps the office is taking as part of its “renewed focus” on medical billing. “The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office has long been concerned with medical billing...more
Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued a policy statement purporting to summarize, in clear and simple terms, the meaning of the statutory prohibition on abusive conduct. Policy statements are...more
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions announced a settlement in excess of $250,000 with Integrity Acceptance Corp., affiliated companies, and their owners to resolve...more
On November 16, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a new Supervisory Highlights report, focusing on the auto servicing industry, consumer reporting, mortgage servicing, and COVID-19 relief funds. The...more