The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) filed an opposition brief (the “Opposition”) on Tuesday in response to a request by plaintiff trade groups to enjoin the CFPB’s final credit card late fee rule (the “Final Rule”) during the pendency of a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the Final Rule. In the Opposition, the CFPB argues that plaintiffs are unlikely to succeed on the merits, and that the Final Rule is consistent with the CARD Act’s mandate that late fees be “reasonable and proportional” to the late payment.… Continue Reading

Just two days after the CFPB issued its final credit card late fee rule (Rule) last week, a lawsuit was filed in a Texas federal district court seeking to invalidate the Rule.  The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Longview Chamber of Commerce, American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, and Texas Association of Business. … Continue Reading

The plaintiffs and intervenors in the lawsuit filed in a Texas federal district court challenging the CFPB’s final small business lending rule implementing Section 1071 of Dodd-Frank (Rule) have filed a consolidated motion for summary judgment.  The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the Texas Bankers Association, Rio Bank, McAllen, Texas, and the American Bankers Association. … Continue Reading

On February 29, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) issued Consumer Financial Protection Circular 2024-01, Preferencing and steering practices by digital intermediaries for consumer financial products or services. The Circular advised that: “[o]perators of digital comparison-shopping tools can violate the [Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA)] prohibition on abusive acts or practices if they distort the shopping experience by steering consumers to certain products or services based on remuneration to the operator;” and “lead generators can violate the prohibition on abusive practices if they steer consumers to one participating financial services provider instead of another based on compensation received.”… Continue Reading

After targeting credit card late fees in its proposed rule, the CFPB has set its sights on further attacking credit card pricing through interest rates. The CFPB published a blog late last month stating that credit card interest rate margins are at an all-time high, with an average 14.3% margin in 2023 compared to 9.6% margin in 2013, and have fueled the profitability of revolving balances.… Continue Reading

Our special guest is Brad Blower, Principal and Founder of Inclusive-Partners LLC, and author of a recent blog post titled “The CFPB Has An Opportunity to Greatly Advance the Ethical and Non-Discriminatory Use of AI in Financial Services and Should Take It.”  We first discuss the lack of clear guidance from the CFPB on the non-discriminatory use of AI and the possible reasons for the CFPB’s apparent reticence to provide more specific guidance. … Continue Reading

Federal News Wire – a non-partisan news group focusing on the activities of federal agencies – has issued a Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) request to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, seeking a list of all organizations who have received payments from the Bureau’s “Civil Penalty Fund” (“CPF”) since the Bureau’s formation in 2011.… Continue Reading

In a new data spotlight issued last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) found that interest rates charged on credit cards issued by large banks are higher than interest rates charged on credit cards issued by smaller banks and credit unions. In a press release about the report, CFPB Director Rohit Chopra states that “the CFPB will be accelerating its efforts to ensure that consumers can access better rates that can save families billions of dollars per year.”… Continue Reading

On February 15, 2024, Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent a letter to Zelle seeking clarification of its reimbursement policy for victims of imposter scams and urging Zelle to publicize its fraud policies to consumers and clarify whether all participating banks must reimburse eligible victims.… Continue Reading