The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the CFPB and Fed has issued a report that found the CFPB can improve its practices related to examination workpaper documentation.  This report follows another OIG report issued last month that found the CFPB could improve the effectiveness of its Examiner Commissioning and On-the-Job Training Programs.… Continue Reading

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the CFPB and Fed has issued a report on the results of its evaluation of the effectiveness of the CFPB’s Examiner Commissioning Program (ECP) and On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program.  In conducting the evaluation, the OIG assessed the design, implementation, and execution of the two programs.… Continue Reading

The CFPB has issued a new compliance bulletin (2017-11) to provide guidance on pay-by-phone fees.  The guidance includes examples of conduct relating to pay-by-phone practices identified by the CFPB in its supervision and enforcement activities that may violate or risk violating the Dodd-Frank UDAAP prohibition or the FDCPA.

The enforcement actions cited in the guidance involving alleged UDAAP violations arising from pay-by-phone practices date from 2015 and, while recent CFPB supervisory highlights have discussed potential FDCPA violations arising from “convenience fees” charged by debt collectors to process payments by phone, recent supervisory highlights have not discussed potential UDAAP violations arising from pay-by-phone practices. … Continue Reading

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has issued a new bulletin (2017-21) containing fourteen frequently asked questions to supplement OCC Bulletin 2013-29 entitled “Third-Party Relationships: Risk Management Guidance.”   The 2013 bulletin provided updated guidance for managing operational, compliance, reputation, strategic, and credit risk presented by third-party business relationships of national banks and federal savings associations.… Continue Reading

At the Auto Finance Risk and Compliance Summit held this week, Calvin Hagins, CFPB Deputy Assistant Director for Originations, stated that the CFPB is increasingly asking lenders about ancillary product programs during examinations, particularly about the percentage of consumers buying these products.

In June 2015, when the CFPB released its larger participant rule for nonbank auto finance companies, it also issued auto finance examination procedures in which ancillary products, like GAP insurance and extended service contracts, received heavy attention. … Continue Reading

At the program held on April 7 entitled “The State of Consumer Protection Initiatives” at the American Bar Association Business Law Section Consumer Financial Services Committee 2017 Spring Meeting, Peggy Twohig, the CFPB’s Assistant Director for Supervision Policy, announced that the CFPB has begun to examine service providers on a regular, systematic basis, particularly those supporting the mortgage industry. … Continue Reading

Earlier today, at the Practicing Law Institute’s (“PLI”) 22nd Annual Consumer Financial Services Institute in New York City, Alan Kaplinsky (who is co-chairing the event) moderated a panel entitled “The CFPB Speaks,” that featured three senior CFPB lawyers: Anthony (“Tony”) Alexis (Assistant Director for Enforcement), Diane Thompson (Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Regulations), and Peggy Twohig (Assistant Director for Supervision Policy). … Continue Reading

The CFPB has issued a new compliance bulletin (2016-03) on incentive programs.  The issuance of the bulletin reflects the CFPB’s increased focus on such programs.

To assist clients in preparing for greater regulatory scrutiny, Ballard Spahr attorneys will conduct a webinar on December 14, 2016, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.… Continue Reading

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), whose members include the CFPB, has finalized guidance setting forth a revised uniform interagency consumer compliance rating system (CCRS).  The revisions reflect changes in consumer compliance supervision since the current rating system was adopted in 1980.  The other FFIEC members are the Fed, FDIC, NCUA, OCC, and State Liaison Committee. … Continue Reading

In its Fall 2016 Supervisory Highlights, which covers supervision work generally completed between May and August 2016, the CFPB highlights violations found by its examiners involving origination and servicing of auto financing, debt collection, mortgage origination and servicing, student loan servicing, and fair lending.

On December 2, 2016, from 12 p.m.… Continue Reading