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California Appeals Court Holds Judgment Creditor's Forbearance Fees Not Subject To State Usury Law
On April 25, the California Court of Appeal, First District, held that California’s usury law does not prohibit a judgment creditor from accepting a forbearance fee to delay collecting on a judgment. Bisno v. Kahn, No. A133537, 2014 WL 1647660 (Cal. Ct. App. Apr. 25, 2014). In consolidated cases, the judgment creditors agreed to delay executing on their judgments in exchange for the payment of forbearance fees in addition to statutory post-judgment interest on the unpaid balance of the judgments. The judgment debtors subsequently claimed the forbearance fees are usurious and sought treble damages against the creditors. The court held that because the state’s usury law does not expressly prohibit a party from entering into an agreement to forbear collecting on a judgment, usury liability does not extend to judgment creditors who receive remuneration beyond the statutory interest rate in exchange for a delay in enforcing a judgment. The court added that a forbearance agreement is a contract between the judgment creditor and the judgment debtor that is separate from the judgment to which it applies, and therefore must be enforced in a separate contract action and is subject to standard contractual defenses such as duress and unconscionability.
FTC Settles Suit Against Tribe-Affiliated Lenders; Dispute Over CFPB Investigation Of Tribe-Affiliated Lenders Moves To Federal Court
On April 11, the FTC announced that a tribe-affiliated payday lending operation and its owner agreed to pay nearly $1 million to resolve allegations that they engaged in unfair or deceptive acts or practices and violated the Credit Practices Rule in the collection of payday loans. The FTC alleged that the lenders illegally tried to garnish borrowers’ wages and sought to force borrowers to travel to South Dakota to appear before a tribal court, and that the loan contracts issued by the lenders illegally stated that they are subject solely to the jurisdiction of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. The announced settlement payment includes a $550,000 civil penalty and a court order to disgorge $417,740. The companies and their owner also are prohibited from further unfair and deceptive practices and are barred from suing any consumer in the course of collecting a debt, except for bringing a counter suit to defend against a suit brought by a consumer.
Also on April 11, in a separate matter related to federal authority over tribe-affiliated lending, a group of tribe-affiliated lenders responded in opposition to a recent CFPB petition to enforce civil investigative demands (CIDs) the Bureau issued to the lenders. In September 2013, the CFPB denied the lenders’ joint petition to set aside the CIDs, rejecting the lenders’ primary argument that the CFPB lacks authority over businesses chartered under the sovereign authority of federally recognized Indian Tribes. The lenders subsequently refused to respond to the CIDs, which the CFPB now asks the court to enforce. The CFPB argues that the lenders fall within the CFPB’s investigative authority under the terms of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, which the CFPB argues is a law of general applicability, including with regard to Indian Tribes and their property interests. The lenders continue to assert that they are sovereign entities operating beyond the CFPB’s reach.
Hawaii Notifies Collection Agencies Of Change In Reciprocal States
On March 18, the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs published a notice advising collection agencies that due to changes in state licensing laws in Indiana, Nevada, and North Dakota, those states no longer qualify as “reciprocal states” such that licensure in those states can be used to obtain or renew a Hawaii collection agency designation. Hawaii law allows an out-of-state collection agency to obtain a state collection agency designation by demonstrating the company is licensed under the laws of a state (i) whose requirements to be licensed, permitted, or registered as a collection agency are substantially similar to Hawaii’s requirements; and (ii) that allows similar reciprocal arrangements for Hawaii-licensed agencies. The Department advises that any agency currently using one of the three states identified as the basis for its Hawaii collection agency designation must identify a new reciprocal state on its renewal application. Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wisconsin are identified by the Department as states that meet its definition of a reciprocal state. Because the renewal constitutes a change to the current information on file, the Department will not accept an “online” license verification in lieu of a completed original “Verification of License” form.
CFPB Releases Annual Report on Debt Collection
On March 20, the CFPB released its third annual report summarizing its activities in 2013 to implement and enforce the FDCPA. The report describes the CFPB’s and the FTC’s shared FDCPA enforcement authority, incorporates the FTC’s annual FDCPA update, and reiterates the intention of both the FTC and the CFPB to exercise their authority to take action—both independently and in concert—against those in violation of the FDCPA.
The report highlights the debt collection-related complaints the Bureau has received—over 30,000 since the CFPB began accepting and compiling consumer complaints in July 2013, making the third-party debt collection market the largest source of consumer complaints submitted to the CFPB. The report states that the majority of the complaints the CFPB has received involve attempts to collect debts not owed and allegedly illegal communication tactics. The report also identifies several changes within the debt collection industry over the past year that will remain points of emphasis for the CFPB, including the expansion of the debt buying market, the growth of medical debt and student loan debt in collection, and the use of expanded technologies to communicate with debtors.
CFPB Plans Debt Collection Survey
On March 6, the CFPB issued a notice that it intends to conduct a mail survey of consumers “to learn about their experiences interacting with the debt collection industry.” The notice states that the Bureau, as part of its information gathering related to its debt collection rulemaking, will ask consumers about (i) whether they have been contacted by debt collectors in the past; (ii) whether they recognized the debt that was being collected; (iii) interactions with the debt collectors; (iv) preferences for how they would like to be contacted by debt collectors; (v) opinions about potential regulatory interventions in debt collection markets; and (vi) knowledge of legal rights regarding debt collections. Comments on the proposed survey are due by May 6, 2014.
FTC Releases Annual Debt Collection Report
On March 5, the FTC released a summary of its 2013 debt collection activities, which it submitted to the CFPB on February 21, 2014. The report highlights that one of the FTC’s highest priorities is to continue targeting debt collectors that engage in deceptive, unfair, or abusive conduct. In particular, the FTC is actively pursuing debt collectors that secure payments from consumers by falsely threatening litigation or otherwise falsely implying that they are involved in law enforcement. In 2013, the FTC filed or resolved seven actions alleging deceptive, unfair, or abusive debt collection conduct. The FTC also took action against the continuing rise of so-called “phantom debt collectors.” The report also summarizes the FTC’s amicus program, and education, public outreach, research, and policy activities, including its Life of a Debt Roundtable Event, which examined data integrity in debt collection and the flow of consumer data throughout the debt collection process.
New Jersey Appellate Court Clarifies Debt Buyers' Burden Of Proof
On March 5, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division issued an opinion clarifying the proof necessary for debt buyers to prevail on efforts to collect an assigned debt on a closed and charged-off credit card account. New Century Fin. Servs. Inc. v. Oughla, Nos. A-6078-11T4, A-6370-11T1, 2014 WL 839180 (N.J. Sup. Ct. App. Div. Mar. 5, 2014). In a consolidated appeal of two trial court decisions, debtors sought to reverse the trial court’s orders granting summary judgment to two debt buyers seeking to collect on charged-off credit card debt they had purchased from sellers who derived their ownership from credit card issuers. The appeals court explained that to collect such debt, debtors must prove (i) ownership of the charged-off debt, which it can do through business records documenting its ownership, and (ii) the amount due at the time the card issuer charged off the debt. The court also determined that (i) an electronic copy of the last billing statement is sufficient to demonstrate the amount due at charge-off; (ii) the validity of a debt assignment is not undermined by a failure to provide notice of the assignment to the debtor, and (iii) that a debt can be assigned without specifically referencing the debtor’s name or account number. The court held in these companion cases that one of the debt buyers established ownership through proper authentication and certification of business records, while the other debt buyer failed to provide sufficient proof of the full chain of ownership of its claim to meet its burden. The court affirmed summary judgment for one buyer and reversed and remanded the other buyer’s case accordingly.
UK FCA Finalizes New Consumer Credit Rules
On February 28, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced final rules for consumer credit providers, including new protections for consumers in credit transactions. The FCA states that the most drastic changes relate to payday lending and debt management. For example, with regard to “high-cost short-term credit,” the new rules will (i) limit to two the number of loan roll-overs; (ii) restrict to two the number of times a firm can seek repayment using a continuous payment authority; and (iii) require creditors to provide a risk warning. Among other things, the new rules also establish prudential standards and conduct protocols for debt management companies, peer-to-peer lending platforms, and debt advice companies. The policy statement also describes the FCA’s risk-based and proactive supervisory approach, which the FCA states will subject firms engaged in “higher risk business” that “pose a potentially greater risk to consumers” to an “intense and hands on supervisory experience” and will allow the FCA to levy "swift penalties” on violators. The new rules take effect April 1, 2014. The FCA plans next to propose a cap on the cost of high-cost, short-term credit.
CFPB Supplements Consumer Reporting Guidance, Holds Consumer Advisory Board Meeting, Issues Consumer Reporting Complaints Report
On February 27, the CFPB issued supplemental guidance related to consumer reporting and held a public meeting focused on consumer reporting issues. The CFPB also released a report on consumer reporting complaints it has received.
Supervisory Guidance
The CFPB issued a supervision bulletin (2014-01) that restates the general obligations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for furnishers of information to credit reporting agencies and “warn[s] companies that provide information to credit reporting agencies not to avoid investigating consumer disputes.” It follows and supplements guidance issued last year detailing the CFPB’s expectations for furnishers.
The latest guidance is predicated on the CFPB’s concern that when a furnisher responds to a consumer’s dispute, it may, without conducting an investigation, simply direct the consumer reporting agency (CRA) to delete the item it has furnished. The guidance states that a furnisher should not assume that it ceases to be a furnisher with respect to an item that a consumer disputes simply because it directs the CRA to delete that item. In addition, the guidance explains that whether an investigation is reasonable depends on the circumstances, but states that furnishers should not assume that simply deleting an item will generally constitute a reasonable investigation.
The CFPB promises to continue to monitor furnishers’ compliance with FCRA regarding consumer disputes of information they have furnished to CRAs. Furnishers should take immediate steps to ensure they are fulfilling their obligations under the law.
Consumer Advisory Board Meeting
The public session of this week’s two-day Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) Meeting featured remarks from Director Cordray, and a discussion among CAB members, industry representatives, and consumer advocates on several major topics: (i) use of credit history in employment decisions; (ii) consumer access to credit information; and (iii) the credit dispute process.
Mr. Cordray focused on steps the CFPB has taken related to the credit reporting market, including: (i) launching a complaint portal through which consumers have submitted 31,000 consumer reporting complaints, nearly 75% of which have related to the accuracy and completeness of credit reports; (ii) beginning to supervise large credit reporting companies and many large furnishers; (iii) identifying process changes, including upgrades to the e-Oscar consumer dispute system to allow consumers to file disputes online and to provide furnishers direct access to dispute materials; and (iv) issuing guidance to furnishers on resolving consumer disputes.
Mr. Cordray also expressed support for a “major initiative” in the credit card industry to make credit scoring information more easily and regularly available to card holders. Mr. Cordray stated that he sent letters to the CEOs of the major card companies “strongly encouraging them to consider making credit scores and educational content freely available to their customers on a regular basis.” He added that he sees “no reason why this approach should not be replicated with customers across other product lines as well.”
In his CAB remarks, Mr. Cordray also identified some persistent concerns that resulted in the additional furnisher guidance issued today, discussed above. He stated that “[s]ome furnishers are taking short-cuts to avoid undertaking appropriate investigations of consumer disputes. For example, a consumer may find an error on the credit report and file a dispute about an incorrect debt or a credit card that was never opened. In response, the furnisher may simply delete that account from the information it passes along to the credit reporting company.” He stated that such practices deprive consumers of important protections.
During the discussion session, consumer advocates complained that credit reports provided to consumers are not the same as the reports provided to creditors. They claimed that consumers receive “sterilized” versions and do not, for example, get to see if their file is mixed with some else’s file. They also complained that the reports do not provide credit scores.
With regard to the CFPB’s support for creditors disclosing credit scores on a regular basis, several participants, including a representative for CRAs, stated that creditors should be free to provide the credit score of their choice, and not only FICO. Mr. Cordray and the CFPB’s Corey Stone responded that the CFPB is encouraging voluntary participation in score disclosure programs, but stated the Bureau does not believe that any one score needs to be disclosed. Instead, Mr. Stone explained that creditors should provide the score that is most relevant and useful for its customers. Mr. Cordray stressed the importance of providing educational information with the score, regardless of what score is provided.
The consumer advocates also were sharply critical of the CRAs and certain creditors’ dispute resolution processes. One participant raised specific concerns about the lack of human interaction in online dispute processes and the sale of certain add-on products offered during the dispute process.
The industry’s representative defended recent enhancements to the dispute process and highlighted the efficiency benefits of online disputes, including quicker resolution. He added that many furnishers prefer to hear directly from their customers, and that the real issue is how creditors respond.
Report on Consumer Reporting Complaints
The “credit reporting complaint snapshot” states that of the nearly 300,000 complaints the CFPB has received on a range of consumer financial products and services, approximately 31,000 or 11 percent have been about credit reporting. The CFPB accepts consumer credit reporting complaints in five categories: (i) incorrect credit report information; (ii) credit reporting company’s investigation; (iii) improper use of a credit report; (iv) inability to obtain credit report or score; and (v) credit monitoring or identity protection services. The CFPB reports that the most common complaints related to incorrect information on a credit report, while very few complaints related to identity protection or credit monitoring services. The report reviews the complaint handling process, and indicates that companies have resolved approximately 91 percent of the complaints submitted to them.
Fourth Circuit Holds FDCPA Allows For Oral Disputes Of Debt
On January 31, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that the FDCPA does not impose a requirement that debt disputes be presented in writing and permits debtors to orally dispute the validity of a debt. Clark v. Absolute Collection Serv., Inc., No. 13-1151, 2014 WL 341943 (4th Cir. Jan. 31, 2014). A debt collector moved to dismiss a suit in which the debtor sought to invalidate a debt because the debt collection notice required the debtor’s dispute to be in writing. The debtor argued the notice violated FDCPA section 1692g(a)(3), which provides the basic right to dispute a debt. The debtor also claimed that the writing requirement was a false or deceptive means of collection in violation of section 1692e(10). Considering only the first argument on appeal, the Fourth Circuit joined the Second and Ninth Circuits, but split from the Third Circuit, and held that the “FDCPA clearly defines communications between a debt collector and consumers” and section 1692g(a)(3) “plainly does not” require a written communication to dispute a debt. The court rejected the debt collector’s argument that 1692g(a)(3) imposes an inherent writing requirement.