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  • CFPB Responds to MBA Letter, Clarifies TRID Implementation Expectations

    Consumer Finance

    On December 29, the CFPB responded to a December 21, 2015 letter from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) regarding “lingering misperceptions and technical ambiguities” in TRID regulations that went into effect on October 3. The CFPB’s letter notes that, given inevitable yet unintentional errors in the early stages of the mortgage industry’s implementation of the regulations, regulators’ initial examinations will focus on industry members’ good faith efforts to ensure compliance with the rule. The CFPB further emphasized that examinations will be “corrective and diagnostic, rather than punitive.” Regarding cure provisions for violations of the rule, the letter states that TRID allows for corrections of specific post-closing errors, such as correcting non-numerical clerical errors and curing violations of monetary tolerance limits, if they exist. Moreover, TILA provisions regarding the corrections of errors will continue to apply to integrated disclosures: “TILA has long permitted creditors to cure violations, provided the creditor notifies the borrower of the error and makes appropriate adjustments to the account before the creditor receives notice of the violation from the borrower. 15 U.S.C. 1640(b).” The CFPB’s letter further advises the MBA that while TRID integrates disclosure requirements under RESPA and TILA, it does not “change the prior, fundamental principles of liability under either TILA or RESPA.”

    CFPB TILA RESPA TRID

  • FTC Reveals Agenda for PrivacyCon

    Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security

    On December 29, the FTC revealed the full agenda for PrivacyCon, a Washington, D.C. conference scheduled to take place on January 14, 2016. Participants will examine current research and trends related to consumer privacy and data security. The event will host panels on the following topics: (i) the current state of online privacy; (ii) consumers’ privacy expectations; (iii) big data and algorithms; (iv) economics of privacy and security; and (v) security and usability.

    FTC Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security

  • CFPB Announces Proposed Consent Order with Debt Collection Law Firm

    Consumer Finance

    On December 28, the CFPB filed a proposed consent order to resolve allegations that a Georgia-based law firm operated a debt-collection lawsuit mill by collecting millions of dollars from consumers who may not have owed the debts in the amounts claimed, or may not have owed debts at all. According to the July 2014 complaint, the firm violated the FDCPA and engaged in unfair and deceptive practices by (i) intimidating consumers through the use of automatically-filed lawsuits that did not involve attorneys; and (ii) using sworn statements from its clients to support its lawsuits, even though the signers could not have known the details to which they were attesting. The CFPB’s proposed consent order would prohibit the firm and its partners from (i) filing lawsuits or threatening to sue to enforce debts unless they are able to prove, through specific documentation, that the debt is enforceable; (ii) filing or threatening lawsuits unless specific documentation regarding a consumer’s debt was reviewed by an attorney; and (iii) using affidavits as evidence to collect debts unless the signer’s knowledge of the facts and the documents are specifically and accurately described in the statements. The proposed order also seeks a $3.1 million civil money penalty.

    CFPB FDCPA Debt Collection Enforcement

  • SEC Releases Reports on Credit Rating Agencies

    Consumer Finance

    On December 28, the SEC, as required by Dodd-Frank and the 2006 Credit Rating Agency Reform Act, released two annual staff reports on credit rating agencies registered as nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) – the Annual Examination Report and the Annual Report to Congress. The Annual Examination Report reviewed the NRSROs’ (i) policies, procedures, and practices regarding quantitative models used in the rating process; (ii) policies and procedures, controls, and documentation relating to IT and cybersecurity; and (iii) the use of third-party vendors and non-NRSRO affiliates in “determining, issuing, or contributing to the NRSROs’ credit ratings or credit rating processes.” Overall, the SEC noted that the report “shows that all of the NRSROs have enhanced their understanding of their obligations as regulated entities and that at many of the firms, operational improvements made in prior years are being further integrated and enhanced.”

    The simultaneously-released Annual Report to Congress relates to the period from June 26, 2014 to June 25, 2015, and summarizes the SEC’s views on the NRSROs’ state of competition, transparency, and conflicts of interest.

    Dodd-Frank SEC Credit Rating Agencies

  • CFPB Monthly Complaint Snapshot Highlights Money Transfer Complaints

    Consumer Finance

    On December 22, the CFPB released its monthly complaint report, which focuses on money transfer complaints. According to the report, as of December 1, the CFPB has handled approximately 5,100 money transfer complaints, domestically and internationally. The most complained-about issues include difficulties with the safe and efficient transfer of money, as well as fraud allegations. Additional complaints include inadequate customer service and issues resolving refund errors. Similar to previous complaint snapshots, the report identifies the most-complained-about companies. The CFPB identified the District of Columbia and Delaware as having the highest complaint volume per capita in the country, and placed Georgia as its geographic spotlight, noting that as of December 1, consumers submitted more than 31,000 complaints, with mortgage-related complaints taking the lead.

    CFPB Consumer Complaints

  • Agencies Release CRA Asset-Size Threshold Adjustments

    Consumer Finance

    On December 22, the Federal Reserve, the OCC, and the FDIC jointly announced the adjusted thresholds for asset-size used to define small and intermediate small banks and savings associations under the Community Reinvestment Act. Effective January 1, 2016, a small bank or savings association will be defined as an institution that, as of December 31 of either of the past two calendar years, had assets of less than $1.216 billion. An intermediate small bank or intermediate small savings association will be defined as an institution with at least $304 million and less than $1.216 billion in assets as of December 31 of either of the past two calendar years. The agencies published the annual adjustments in the Federal Register on December 29, 2015.

    FDIC Federal Reserve OCC CRA

  • OFAC Updates SDN and Blocked Persons List

    Federal Issues

    On December 22, OFAC updated its Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) list to identify additional persons and entities with which U.S. citizens and permanent residents are prohibited from doing business and whose assets or interests in assets must be frozen if they come within the jurisdiction of the U.S. OFAC’s update to the SDN list names 34 individuals and entities under Ukraine-related sanctions and authorities. In addition, OFAC identified – under the Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List – a number of subsidiary companies that are at least 50% owned by two previously-sanctioned banks and/or one previously-sanctioned defense company.

    OFAC

  • FinCEN Assesses Civil Money Penalty Against LA-Based Precious Metals Business for AML Violations

    Consumer Finance

    On December 30, FinCEN announced a civil money penalty of $200,000 against a Los Angeles-based precious metals business – a financial institution as defined by the BSA – and its owner and compliance officer. The company and the two individuals admitted to willfully violating federal AML laws by (i) failing to adequately asses its own risk; and (ii) failing to conduct due diligence on its highest-risk customers. Specifically, the business did not have an AML program in place until 2011, five years after the IRS instructed it to establish one. In 2013, IRS examiners found that the company’s recently-established AML program did not ensure compliance with the BSA and, as a result, the company “failed to appropriately assess its money laundering to terrorist financing risks, conducted almost no due diligence on money laundering and terrorist financing, conducted almost no due diligence on many of its highest risk customers, and failed to implement effective procedures to identify red flags or to conduct inquiries when such red flags were present, among other things.” In addition to the civil money penalty, the company and the two individuals agreed that, until 2020, they would: (i) retain an auditor; (ii) provide a comprehensive annual report to FinCEN detailing the implementation of the company’s improved AML program; and (iii) annually provide FinCEN with a copy of the company’s AML training program, certifying attendance and testing results of the program.

    Anti-Money Laundering FinCEN Bank Secrecy Act

  • FDIC and Federal Reserve Announce Settlement with Connecticut-Based Financial Aid Company Over Deceptive Practices

    Consumer Finance

    On December 23, the FDIC announced separate settlements with a Connecticut-based financial aid company and an affiliated Utah-based bank for alleged deceptive practices in violation of the FTC Act. Separately, the Federal Reserve announced a settlement solely with the Connecticut-based company for allegedly violating the FTC Act by employing deceptive practices. The company provides financial aid disbursements to higher education institutions for its students. According to the agencies, the company omitted material facts about its financial aid disbursement business, such as: (i) details about alternative disbursement methods available to students; (ii) a full and complete fee schedule; and (iii) information regarding the locations of fee-free ATMs. In addition, the agencies alleged that the company prominently displayed school logos, suggesting to students that schools had endorsed its refund product.

    The FDIC’s orders against the company and the bank require each to pay a civil money penalty of $2.23 million and $1.75 million, respectively. In addition, the company and the bank together will pay approximately $31 million in restitution to roughly 900,000 consumers. Under the terms of the Federal Reserve’s order, the company will: (i) pay approximately $24 million in restitution to an estimated 570,000 consumers; (ii) pay a civil money penalty of more than $2 million; (iii) adopt a consumer compliance risk-management program; and (iv) refrain from future violations of section 5 of the FTC Act.

    FDIC Federal Reserve Student Lending UDAAP Enforcement Settlement

  • New York AG Announces Settlement Payments to Consumers Affected by Alleged Predatory Lending Scheme

    Consumer Finance

    On December 22, New York AG Schneiderman announced that more than 3,000 consumers received partial compensation from funds stemming from a global settlement negotiated by AG Schneiderman and the CFPB. In July 2014, the CFPB and 13 state AGs announced a consent order with a military consumer lender requiring it to provide $92 million in debt relief to approximately 17,000 U.S. servicemembers and other consumers affected by the company’s alleged predatory lending scheme. At the time of the order, the company was in Chapter 7 bankruptcy and the redress requirement was suspended until it complied with the debt-relief provisions of the consent order. The recent redress payment exceeds $3.7 million and was issued to 82 victims in New York.

    CFPB Servicemembers State Attorney General Predatory Lending

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