Since the beginning of Michael Hsu’s tenure as Acting Comptroller of the Currency, bank/fintech partnerships have been a focus of OCC concern. Although bank lending partnerships with fintechs continue to receive OCC attention, recent remarks by OCC officials indicate that OCC scrutiny is now also directed at partnerships outside of the lending arena.… Continue Reading
Fintech
CFPB enters into consent order with fintech company to resolve alleged UDAAP practices arising from use of algorithm
The CFPB announced that it has entered into a consent order with Hello Digit, LLC (“Digit”) to settle the CFPB’s claims that Digit engaged in deceptive acts and practices in connection with an automated savings tool it offered to consumers. The settlement requires Digit to pay a $2.7 million civil money penalty and at least $68,145 in consumer redress.… Continue Reading
California Dept. of Financial Protection and Innovation responds to OppFi’s attempt to block “true lender” challenge to loans made through bank partnership
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has filed its opposition to Opportunity Financial, LLC’s (OppFi) Demurrer to the DFPI’s cross-complaint. In the Demurrer, OppFi 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
CFPB seeking to hire technologists
The CFPB has posted new job openings for technologists to work with its supervision and enforcement teams. The CFPB is seeking experts in data science, software engineering, product design, product management, and user experience (UX). The job postings indicate that the CFPB is willing to invest significant resources in building its understanding of and capability to challenge the use of newer and emerging technologies by consumer financial service providers.… Continue Reading
This week’s podcast episode: Innovative products: Understanding the regulatory and enforcement risks
We discuss key regulatory issues for innovative products such as buy-now-pay later, longer term installment loans, delay pay, and card-based products (such as “virtual cards”). We look at the different ways these products can be structured and the impact of these differences on applicable legal requirements, such as disclosures and licensing. We also look at secondary market considerations, legal issues arising from the offering of products through non-bank/bank partnerships including enforcement trends, and recent CFPB developments impacting innovative products.… Continue Reading
Bank/nonbank partnerships could face CFPB scrutiny
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
California lawmakers urge FDIC to rein in bank partnerships
Four Democratic members of the California state legislature recently sent a letter to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) urging the agency to take action against FDIC-supervised banks that partner with non-bank lenders to originate high-cost installment loans.
Two of the letter’s authors, California Senator Monique Limon and Assemblymember Tim Grayson, were also sponsors of Assembly Bill 539, passed in 2019, which caps the annual interest rate at 36% plus the federal funds rate for consumer loans of at least $2,500 but less than $10,000 made by lenders licensed under the California Financing Law. … Continue Reading
CFPB issues order terminating Upstart no-action letter
The CFPB issued an order last week terminating the no-action letter issued to Upstart Network, Inc. on November 30, 2020 for a 36-month term (NAL). The NAL was essentially a renewal of the no-action letter issued to Upstart in September 2017, which was the first no-action letter issued by the CFPB.… Continue Reading
Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against FinTech Lender Opportunity Financial For Evading Texas State Usury Laws
On June 1, 2022, plaintiff Kristen Michael filed a class action lawsuit against FinTech lender Opportunity Financial, LLC (“OppFi”) on behalf of herself and a putative class alleging, inter alia, that OppFi loans money at an interest rate upwards of 130% higher than allowed by state law. Ms. Michael alleges that OppFi offers “OppLoans” in over 30 states, whereby it originates, underwrites, services and enforces these loans, even claiming the loans on its financial reports. … Continue Reading
CPFB states that it did not scrap no-action letter and compliance assistance sandbox programs in connection with its overhaul of its Office of Innovation and Operation Catalyst
On May 25, 2022, my colleagues, Mike Gordon, John Culhane and Ron Vaske published a blog which reported on a press release issued by the CFPB on the prior day entitled “CFPB Launches New Effort to Promote Competition and Innovation in Consumer Finance.” The blog stated:
… Continue ReadingIn its press release, the CFPB states that “[a]fter a review of these programs [the No Action Letter (NAL) and Compliance Assistance Sandbox (CAS) programs], the agency concludes that the initiatives proved to be ineffective and that some firms participating in these programs made public statements indicating that the Bureau had conferred benefits upon them that the Bureau expressly did not.”