FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson has sent letters to four major financial services providers warning them that they may not engage in debanking—disqualifying potential and current customers from receiving services based on religious, or political views.

The letters were sent to the CEOs of PayPal, Stripe, Visa, and Mastercard and cite publicly reported instances of debanking by PayPal and Stripe.… Continue Reading

The FTC has sent letters to 97 auto groups, warning them that they must advertise the total price of vehicles that consumers will be required to pay; that figure must include all mandatory fees.

“When consumers do not know the true price of a car—or any product—consumers and others suffer related consequences, including that consumers cannot comparison-shop and make informed decisions, sellers trying to deal honestly with consumers are put at a competitive disadvantage, and the market cannot operate efficiently,” Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, wrote, in a template of the letter being sent to the auto groups.… Continue Reading

In today’s episode of the Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast Show, our host, Ballard Spahr’s Alan Kaplinsky, was joined by colleagues Steven Burt and Melanie Vartabedian to explore a rapidly evolving and increasingly complex area of consumer financial services: residential solar finance.

Building on prior discussions of the broader solar finance landscape, this episode zeroes in on the regulatory and litigation developments that are reshaping the residential solar market in real time.… Continue Reading

We are pleased to share a new podcast episode, which was taken from our September 9, 2025, webinar featuring Malini Mithal, Associate Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Financial Practices. Malini has been a valued guest on our podcast in past years, and this session provided another timely and insightful discussion.… Continue Reading

If you are subject to enforcement by the FTC (excluding antitrust laws), you will not want to miss this webinar on September 9 at Noon, ET.  This, of course, includes non-bank fintechs.

 As has been the case in prior years, we are delighted to once again have as our guest speaker Malini Mithal, Associate Director of the FTC’s Division of Financial Practices.… Continue Reading

An ex parte temporary restraining order has been issued against the participants in a debt relief services scheme that allegedly targeted seniors, including veterans, using a variety of deceptive practices, including falsely impersonating consumers’ banks and credit card companies.

Susan M Brnovich of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona issued the restraining order at the request of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”).… Continue Reading

Alleging that Global Circulation, Inc. (GCI) threatened consumers with jail time, lawsuits, and wage garnishments to pressure them into paying debts they did not owe, the FTC entered into a stipulated order with GCI and its owner, Kenneth Redon III, to permanently ban them from the debt collection industry.

The defendants were also enjoined from making misrepresentations to consumer about legal obligations, making false statements to obtain payment information, and impersonating other businesses.… Continue Reading

The Justice Department is asking a federal court to issue a permanent injunction against cash advance firm Dave Inc. and its CEO Jason Wilk, alleging that the company uses misleading marketing tactics to deceive consumers about the amount of its cash advances, charges consumers undisclosed fees, and charges so-called “tips” to consumers without their consent.… Continue Reading

The FTC filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Seek Capital and its CEO, Roy Ferman, alleging that the company operated a bogus business finance scheme that cost small business owners more than $37 million. The FTC alleges violations of the FTC Act, Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, Telemarketing Sales Rule, and Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, and requests a temporary, preliminary and permanent injunction, monetary damages and other relief.… Continue Reading

Today’s podcast features James Kohm, the Associate Director for the Enforcement Division of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. We discuss the FTC’s “Click-to-Cancel” Rule (consisting of significant amendments to the longstanding “Negative Option Rule”) which was promulgated by the FTC on October 16, 2024 by a vote of 3-2 along party lines.… Continue Reading