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  • District Court Denies Motion to Dismiss Class Action Against Debt Collection Firm Over "Misleading" Collection Letters

    Consumer Finance

    On December 15, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey denied a motion to dismiss a class action suit against a fund and law firm specializing in debt collection. Marucci et al v. Cawley & Bergmann, LLP et al, No. 13-cv-4884 (D.N.J. Dec. 15, 2014). The suit claims that the firm violated the FDCPA by not informing consumers that interest was accruing on the amount specified in their collection letters. According to the complaint, the debt collection letters used by the firm “would lead the least sophisticated consumer to believe that payment of the amount stated in the letter would satisfy the Debt, when in fact interest is accruing and the consumer may still owe additional accrued interest.” The court found that the plaintiff’s interpretation of the letter was sufficiently reasonable to state a claim.

    FDCPA Class Action

  • District Court Awards Florida Couple Over $1 Million In Robocalls Suit

    Consumer Finance

    Recently, the U.S. District Court for the District of Florida denied a major bank’s motions to vacate and modify a judgment that awarded a Florida couple a total of $1,051,000 – approximately $1,500 per unauthorized call. Coniglio v. Bank of America, N.A., No. 8:14-CV-01628-EAK-MAP (M.D. Fla. December 4, 2014). In a complaint filed in July, the couple claimed the bank violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act after they received over 700 calls in four years, including calls from an automated telephone dialing system, without their consent. The calls began as a result of the couple falling behind on their mortgage payments in 2009. In October, the Court agreed with the couple’s claims and ordered the bank to pay the awarded amount.

    TCPA Debt Collection

  • National Institute of Standards and Technology Publishes New Guidance on Privacy Controls

    Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security

    On December 16, the NIST announced the release of its new guidance on assessing the security and privacy safeguards for federal information systems and organizations. The updated guidance will be used by government IT security professionals to “assess a wide range of software configurations, physical security measures and operating procedures meant to safeguard information systems from both chance failures and hostile attacks.” The new guidance complements the NIST’s Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations catalogue.

    NIST Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security

  • CFPB Addresses Medical Debt Collection, Requires Consumer Reporting Agencies To Provide Accuracy Reports

    Consumer Finance

    On December 11, the CFPB held a field hearing on medical debt collection and how it affects consumer credit reports. In his prepared remarks, Director Cordray announced the release of a white paper focused on the specific issue of medical debt collection. According to Cordray, medical debt collection presents unique challenges as compared to other industries due to inconsistent debt collection practices by medical service providers, insurance companies, and collection agencies. More broadly, Cordray addressed issues within the consumer reporting system and announced that major consumer reporting agencies will now be required to submit “regular, standardized accuracy reports” as part of its ongoing examinations efforts. Specifically, consumer reporting agencies will have to (i) identify furnishers with the most disputes; (ii) identify industries with the most disputes, and (iii) provide peer group ranking of furnishers consumer disputes relative to their industry.

    CFPB Debt Collection Credit Scores

  • Congress Passes Bill Clarifying Homeland Security's Role in Fighting Cyberthreats

    Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security

    On December 10, the U.S. Senate passed by voice vote S. 2519, the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center Act of 2014. The bill would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (12 U.S.C. § 121 et seq.) by codifying the current operations center in the Department of Homeland Security, which serves as a federal civilian information sharing interface for cybersecurity on behalf of the Homeland Security’s Under Secretary. The information center oversees cross-sector coordination of shared information related to cybersecurity risk and incidents that could adversely impact multiple private sectors. In addition, the bill prescribes the composition of the information center and requires it file yearly status reports. The bill will be submitted to the President for approval and signature.

    Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security

  • Fannie and Freddie Announce Low Down Payment Programs for First-Time Homebuyers

    Lending

    On December 8, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced new loan programs allowing for a down payment as low as three percent intended to “remove barriers for creditworthy borrowers to get a mortgage” and provide them with “a responsible path to homeownership.” The “97 percent LTV” program launched by Fannie Mae targets first-time home buyers, while the Home Possible Advantage program introduced by Freddie Mac offers mortgage loans to low- and moderate-income borrowers. The recently announced options further the agencies’ efforts to establish a more stable mortgage market.

    Freddie Mac Fannie Mae

  • Congressional Leaders Urge FHFA To Investigate Fannie and Freddie Contractors

    Lending

    On December 11, Representatives Cummings (D-MD), Waters (D-CA), and Moore (D-WI) led the effort to submit a letter to FHFA’s IG requesting that the agency conduct a comprehensive audit to determine if Fannie and Freddie “are taking adequate steps to ensure that preservation companies maintain or service REO properties in compliance with the requirements of the Fair Housing Act.” The letter, which was signed by a total of 26 House Members, suggested that companies contracted by Fannie and Freddie to maintain their REOs provide inferior service within African-American, Latino, and other non-Caucasian communities. The Representatives’ allegations stem from National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) research, in addition to complaints filed with HUD and several U.S. banks. Moreover, the letter comes directly after the December 9 Senate Banking Committee hearing, “Inequality, Opportunity, and the Housing Market, during which Deborah Goldberg, Special Project Director of NFHA, addressed that REOs are managed differently based on the community of the property.

    REO FHFA U.S. House Senate Banking Committee

  • SEC Fines Virtual Currency Operator For Alleged Registration Violations

    Securities

    On December 8, the SEC fined a computer programmer $68,387.07 for operating two separate online exchanges that traded securities using virtual currency without registering the businesses as broker dealers. Further, the SEC charged that the programmer failed to register the online enterprises as exchanges as required by SEC regulations. Without admitting or denying the allegations, the programmer agreed to be barred from the securities industry for two years.

    SEC Enforcement Virtual Currency

  • FINRA Sanctions 10 Banks for Conflicts-Of-Interest Violations

    Securities

    On December 11, FINRA fined 10 financial firms a total of $43.5 million dollars for allegedly violating the industry-regulator’s conflict of interest rules. According to FINRA, in pitch meetings, the firms’ equity research analysts offered favorable research coverage in exchange for an underwriting role in a 2010 planned IPO of a large retail company.

    FINRA Enforcement

  • NY DFS Advises Banks On New Cybersecurity Examination Process

    Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security

    On December 10, NY DFS Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky issued a bulletin to all New York state-chartered or licensed banking institutions regarding an updated IT examination process. Effective immediately, cybersecurity examinations will be included within the overall IT examination process. The DFS cybersecurity examinations will incorporate a number of new topics, including: (i) corporate governance; (ii) protections against intrusion, such as multi-factor or adaptive authentication, along with server and database configuration; (iii) information security testing and monitoring; and (iv) cybersecurity insurance coverage, along with other third-party protections. Ultimately, the new examination process will assess a bank’s cybersecurity protections, in addition to how it manages potential cyber risks and handles a cybersecurity attack.

    Bank Supervision Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security NYDFS

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