CFPB, Federal Agencies, State Agencies, and Attorneys General
The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued an Industry Letter providing guidance on overdraft and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees to depository institutions that it supervises.
The DFS indicates that, through the supervisory process, it has identified several unfair or deceptive acts or practices regarding the imposition of overdraft and NSF fees. … Continue Reading
Delivering the keynote address last week at the Consumer Federation of America’s 2022 Consumer Assembly, CFPB Deputy Director Zixta Martinez indicated that the CFPB “is taking a close look” at “‘rent-a-bank’ schemes.”
Deputy Director Martinez commented that “[s]ome lenders attempt to use [relationships with banks] to evade state interest rate caps and licensing laws by making claims that the bank, rather than the non-bank, is the lender.” … Continue Reading
The CFPB announced earlier this week that as part of a new approach to innovation in consumer finance, it is replacing its Office of Innovation and Operation Catalyst with a new office, the Office of Competition and Innovation, and eliminating its No Action Letter (NAL) and Compliance Assistance Sandbox (CAS) programs. … Continue Reading
Opportunity Financial, LLC (OppFi) has filed a Demurrer to the cross-complaint filed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) in which it asks the California trial court to reject the DFPI’s attempt to apply California usury law to loans made through OppFi’s partnership with FinWise Bank (Bank) by alleging that OppFi is the “true lender” on the loans.… Continue Reading
A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has ruled in Walker v. BOKF, National Association that the extended overdraft fees charged by BOKF were not “interest” under the National Bank Act (NBA). The Tenth Circuit’s ruling on what it called “an issue of first impression in this circuit” follows similar rulings by the First and Fifth Circuits.… Continue Reading
Consistent with expectations that the CFPB under Director Chopra’s leadership would take an expansive view of its statutory authorities, the CFPB has announced its intention to use its authority to prohibit unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices (UDAAPs) to target discriminatory conduct, even where fair lending laws may not apply.… Continue Reading
Opportunity Financial, LLC (OppFi) has filed a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief in a California state court against the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), seeking to block the DFPI from applying California usury law to loans made through OppFi’s partnership with Fin Wise Bank (Bank), a state-chartered FDIC-insured bank located in Utah.… Continue Reading
President Biden has signed an Executive Order intended to respond to the explosive growth in digital assets, including cryptocurrencies. Titled “Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets,” the Order is described by the White House as “outlining the first ever, whole-of-government approach to addressing the risks and harnessing the potential benefits of digital assets and their underlying technology.”… Continue Reading
The New Mexico House and Senate have both passed House Bill 132 which would create a 36% annual percentage rate (APR) cap on loans up to $10,000 made under the New Mexico Bank Installment Loan Act of 1959 (BILA) and the New Mexico Small Loan Act (SLA). In an apparent effort to reach non-bank participants in bank-model programs, the bill would also expand the SLA’s anti-evasion provision. … Continue Reading
The CFPB has issued a compliance bulletin “to reiterate that the compulsory use prohibition in the [Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA)] applies to government benefit accounts, as defined in Regulation E.”
In the bulletin, the CFPB reviews what constitutes a “government benefit account” subject to the EFTA’s compulsory use prohibition. As implemented by Regulation E, the EFTA provides that no person may require a consumer to establish an account for receipt of an electronic fund transfer (EFT) with a particular financial institution as a condition of receipt of a government benefit. … Continue Reading
