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Fannie Mae updates code for Covid-19 deferrals
On November 18, Fannie Mae updated Lender Letter 2020-07 to clarify the requirement for reporting a delinquency status code for a Covid-19 payment deferral. Specifically, the lender letter states that in the month the Covid-19 payment deferral is completed and the mortgage loan is reflected as current, the servicer is not required to report delinquency status information to Fannie Mae so long as no other delinquency status code is applicable.
FHFA further extends Covid-19 flexibilities until December 31
On November 13, the FHFA announced the extension of several loan origination guidelines put in place to assist borrowers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, FHFA extended until December 31 existing guidelines related to: (i) alternative appraisal requirements on purchase and rate term refinance loans; (ii) alternative methods for documenting income and verifying employment before loan closing; and (iii) expanding the use of power of attorney to assist with loan closings. The extensions are implemented in updates to Fannie Mae Lender Letters LL-2020-03, LL 2020-04, and Freddie Mac Guide Bulletin 2020-44.
SEC awards $1.1 million to whistleblower
On November 13, the SEC announced a whistleblower award of over $1.1 million in connection with a successful enforcement action. According to the redacted order, the whistleblower provided information to the agency during an active investigation that led the SEC to inquire into different conduct. Additionally, the whistleblower “provided exemplary and continuing assistance” to the SEC, saving the agency time and resources. Lastly, the information and assistance was “critical” in order for the SEC to “bring an emergency action before assets could be dissipated.”
The SEC has now paid approximately $720 million to 113 individuals since the inception of the program.
CFPB settles with debt collector over credit reporting violations
On November 12, the CFPB announced a settlement with an Illinois-based non-bank debt collector, resolving allegations that the company violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Regulation V, and the Consumer Financial Protection Act when providing information to consumer reporting agencies (CRAs). According to the Bureau, the company allegedly (i) “furnished information to CRAs that it knew or had reasonable cause to believe was inaccurate and failed to report to CRAs an appropriate first date of delinquency on certain accounts”; (ii) failed to conduct reasonable investigations into disputes reported to the company and to the CRAs; (iii) failed to send required notices about the results of investigations; and (iv) “failed to establish, implement, and update its policies and procedures regarding its furnishing of consumer information to CRAs.” According to the consent order, the company, among other things, allegedly furnished actual payment amounts as $0.00 on roughly 165,000 accounts even though consumers had made payments. For about 72,000 accounts, the company allegedly furnished current balances and amounts past due in amounts other than $0.00 even though the accounts were settled in full.
The consent order requires the company to pay a $500,000 civil money penalty and to (i) regularly review samples of furnished account information for accuracy and integrity; (ii) review samples of consumer disputes to ensure they are handled in compliance with the FCRA; (iii) update its policies and procedures to ensure compliance and continued effectiveness; and (iv) secure at least one independent consultant who specializes in FCRA and Regulation V compliance to conduct a review of the company’s activities, policies, and procedures related to furnishing and credit reporting.
President Trump issues Executive Order prohibiting securities investments that finance Chinese military companies
On November 12, President Trump issued an Executive Order (E.O.) on “Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments that Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies.” The E.O. generally prohibits “any transaction in publicly traded securities, or any securities that are derivative of, or are designed to provide investment exposure to such securities, of any Chinese military company. . .by any US person.” The E.O. establishes the deadlines for divestment of investments in companies currently listed as Chinese military companies as well as companies that later may be added to the list of Chinese military companies pursuant to Section 1237, or those that the Secretary of the Treasury publicly lists as meeting the criteria set forth in Section 1237(b).
Among other things, the prohibitions apply “except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, order, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to the order, and not withstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted before the date of the order.” The E.O. also prohibits any transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States that evade or avoid, have the purpose of evading or avoiding, cause a violation of, or attempt to violate the provisions set forth in the order, as well as any conspiracy to violate any of these prohibitions. Additionally, the Secretary of Treasury—after consulting with heads of other executive departments as deemed appropriate—is authorized to take actions, including promulgating rules and regulations, to carry out the purposes of the E.O.
CFPB reports on payment information furnishing
On November 12, the CFPB released its latest quarterly consumer credit trends report on the prevalence of actual payment information in consumer credit reporting, concluding that actual payment furnishing for installment loan products has increased steadily between 2012 and 2020 while actual payment furnishing for credit card and retail revolving accounts has declined significantly. Specifically, the Bureau found that, between 2012 and 2020, shares of auto loan, student loan, and mortgage tradelines with actual payment amount information trended upward with over 90 percent of such tradelines reporting actual payment amount information by March 2020. In contrast, shares of revolving and credit card tradelines reporting actual payment data significantly declined over the same time period, falling from 95 percent to 71 percent and from 88 percent to 40 percent respectively. The Bureau also found that, for the nation’s largest credit card issuers, the decision to furnish actual payment information appears to be a binary one, with the issuers either furnishing actual payment information for nearly all accounts or not furnishing such information at all. As of 2020, only half of the nation’s largest credit card issuers furnished actual payment data for their accounts, down from 70 percent in 2013. The Bureau theorizes that the decline in reporting of actual payment data for both revolving and credit card accounts may reflect attempts to prevent account poaching by competitors.
CFPB seeks comment on payday loan disclosure testing
On November 12, the CFPB published a notice and request for comment in the Federal Register detailing a plan for payday loan disclosure testing. The Bureau notes that a contractor will conduct one-on-one consumer interviews to evaluate potential options for payday loan disclosures. The interviews will focus on how consumers use the disclosure information to assess the cost, payment, and timing of the loan. The results of the testing, which are estimated to conclude in September 2021, will be used to inform a future potential rulemaking covering payday loan disclosures. Comments on the notice must be submitted by December 14.
New York requires clear and conspicuous consumer notice prior to auto-renewal of contracts
On November 11, the New York governor signed S01475, which requires clear and conspicuous consumer notice and consent prior to an auto-renewal of any contract of any term for any subsequent term. Specifically, the act provides that a business will be deemed to have engaged in unlawful practices if it (i) fails to present the renewal offer terms or continuous service offer terms in a clear and conspicuous manner before the subscription or purchasing agreement is fulfilled; (ii) charges a consumer’s credit or debit card, or uses a third party to charge a consumer’s account, without first obtaining a consumer’s affirmative consent to the auto-renewal of a contract; (iii) fails to provide an acknowledgement to the consumer that includes the auto-renewal terms and cancellation policy; or (iv) fails to provide a disclosure following the offer of a free gift or service that allows the consumer to cancel before paying for the goods or services. Among other things, the act also provides that consumers who accept an auto-renewal “shall be allowed to terminate the automatic renewal or continuous service exclusively online.” The act further stipulates that a “knowing violation” will be punishable by a civil penalty of not more than $500 for a single violation and not more than $1,000 for multiple violations as a result of a single act or incident. The act also outlines exempt entities, which include entities regulated by NYDFS, and “banks, bank holding companies, or the subsidiary or affiliate of either, or credit unions or other financial institutions, licensed under state or federal law.” The act will take effect 90 days after it was signed.
Representatives question the OCC’s cryptocurrency and stablecoin efforts
On November 10, six members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote to Acting Comptroller of the Currency Brian Brooks raising concerns about the OCC’s recent unilateral actions to regulate cryptocurrencies. In the letter, the members question the OCC’s regulatory priorities. For example, the members highlight that, through recent actions, such as its advance notice of proposed rulemaking on digital activities (covered by InfoBytes here), the OCC has sought “to serve those ‘already-banked’ with better payments options” while potentially “overlooking opportunities for assisting the unbanked and underbanked to participate in the economy and the banking system.” Additionally, the members note that the OCC’s interpretive decisions, which authorize financial institutions to hold cryptocurrency and stablecoins for customers (covered by InfoBytes here and here), may have “broad implications for the future of banking” and “are best made in collaboration with your fellow regulators and with Congress to ensure we avoid potential harms to institutional safety and soundness and equity and inclusion.” In closing, the members ask the OCC to answer a number of questions, including (i) whether stablecoin reserves will be segregated from calculating the capital requirements of large banks; (ii) what consumer protections the agency will impose on stablecoin providers; and (iii) whether the OCC has collaborated with other federal regulators on their recent decisions.
Texas Office of Consumer Credit updates guidance urging property tax lenders to work with borrowers
On November 16, the Texas Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner updated its advisory bulletin urging property tax lenders to work with consumers during the Covid-19 crisis (previously discussed here, here, and here) Among other measures, the regulator urges licensees to increase consumer communication regarding the effects of Covid-19 for licensees, work out modifications for payment difficulties, and review policies for fees, late charges, delinquency practices, and repossessions. The guidance also: (i) reminds licensees of legal requirements for using electronic signatures, and (ii) continues to permit licensees to conduct activity from unlicensed locations, subject to certain conditions. The guidance is in effect through December 31, 2020, unless withdrawn or revised.