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  • District court shuts down operation claiming debt relief for students

    Federal Issues

    On July 20, the FTC announced that the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued a final judgment permanently banning defendants in a student loan debt relief operation from telemarketing or providing debt relief services. As previously covered by InfoBytes, in 2019 the FTC charged the defendants with violations of the FTC Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) for allegedly, among other things, (i) charging borrowers illegal advance fees; (ii) falsely claiming they would service and pay down borrowers’ student loans; and (iii) obtaining borrowers’ credentials in order to change consumers’ contact information and prevent communications from loan servicers.

    The court’s order granted the FTC’s motion for summary judgment, finding that the defendants received revenues of at least $31.1 million derived unlawfully from payments received from borrowers due to the defendants’ violations of the FTC Act and TSR. Of these revenues, only about $3.1 million had been paid by the defendants to borrowers’ federal student loan servicers, the order stated, although the court noted that the defendants allegedly refunded about $408,089 to consumers. The court imposed a roughly $27.6 million judgment against the defendants as equitable monetary relief, and permanently banned the defendants from offering similar services in the future, including misrepresenting, or assisting others in misrepresenting, any facts materials to a consumer’s decision to purchase financial products or services.

    Federal Issues Courts FTC Enforcement Student Lending Debt Relief FTC Act TSR

  • Colorado amends public health order to require certain employees of critical businesses to wear masks, gloves

    State Issues

    On July 21, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued Amended Public Health Order 20-31, which provides requirements for face coverings and gloves. All employees, contractors, and others providing services for critical businesses that interact in close proximity with other employees or with the public must wear a medical or non-medical cloth face covering that covers the nose and mouth, unless this would inhibit the individual’s health. Employers that operate critical businesses should provide employees with non-medical face coverings. Employees, contractors, and others providing services for critical businesses must also wear gloves, as appropriate by industry standards, when in physical contact with customers or goods if gloves are provided by the employer. The order took effect on July 21 and will continue through August 15, unless otherwise suspended or extended.

    State Issues Covid-19 Colorado

  • Texas Supreme Court orders CARES Act certifications in eviction proceedings

    State Issues

    On July 21, the Texas Supreme Court issued an order requiring landlords initiating eviction proceeds to issue a sworn statement describing whether the premises at issue is subject to the CARES Act moratorium on evictions, and whether the landlord has provided the defendant with 30 days’ notice to vacate as required by the CARES Act. The order applies to eviction proceedings filed through August 24.

    State Issues Covid-19 Texas CARES Act Evictions Mortgages

  • Massachusetts governor extends pause on evictions and foreclosures

    State Issues

    On July 21, the Massachusetts governor extended a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures for an additional 60 days, until October 17, 2020.  The moratorium was established through legislation enacted in April and previously covered here. The moratorium applies to most residential and small business commercial evictions, as well as residential foreclosures. The statement announcing the extension also notes the recent launch of a $20 million, statewide fund to assist low-income households and support landlords. An additional $18 million is available through the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition homeless prevention program for rent or mortgage payments.

    State Issues Covid-19 Massachusetts Evictions Foreclosure Mortgages

  • FinCEN warns of virtual currency social media scam

    Financial Crimes

    On July 16, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an alert warning financial institutions about a scam using social media accounts to solicit fraudulent payments denominated in convertible virtual currency (CVC). According to FinCEN, high-profile social media accounts were compromised and used to solicit payments to CVC accounts, with claims that any CVC sent would be “doubled and returned to the sender.” The alert reminds financial institutions to report suspicious transactions involving this type of activity as soon as possible, and that “[a]ny data or information that helps identify the activity as suspicious can be included as an indicator” on their Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) form. The alert notes several indicators to assist financial institutions in identifying activity related to the scam, including (i) communications soliciting payments with misspellings; (ii) social media posts soliciting donations from unverified accounts; and (iii) multiple accounts communicating the same message soliciting funds for an unknown purpose.

    Financial Crimes FinCEN SARs Of Interest to Non-US Persons Virtual Currency

  • FCC provides safe harbors for blocking illegal robocalls

    Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security

    On July 16, the FCC issued an order adopting rules to further encourage phone companies to block illegal and unwanted robocalls and to continue the Commission’s implementation of the TRACED Act (covered by InfoBytes here). The rule establishes two safe harbors from liability for the unintended or inadvertent blocking of wanted calls: (i) voice service providers will not be held liable under the Communications Act and FCC rules on terminating voice service providers that block calls, provided “reasonable analytics,” such as caller ID authentication information, are used to identify and block illegal or unwanted calls; and (ii) voice service providers will not be held liable for blocking calls from “bad-actor upstream voice service providers that continue to allow unwanted calls to traverse their networks.” The FCC’s order also includes a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comments on, among other things, “whether to obligate originating and intermediate providers to better police their networks against illegal calls,” whether the “reasonable analytics” safe harbor should be expanded “to include network-based blocking without consumer opt-out,” and whether the Commission should adopt more extensive redress requirements, and require terminating providers to provide consumers information about blocked calls.

    Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security FCC Robocalls TRACED Act

  • 5th Circuit affirms arbitration in UDAAP action

    Courts

    On July 16, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court’s order compelling arbitration in a lawsuit brought by consumers refuting their liability on a commercial loan, arguing that a Mississippi-based bank “violated numerous state and federal consumer protection laws throughout the loan process.” According to the opinion, the consumers allege a bank representative instructed them to form an LLC and purchase a large plot of land with a commercial loan, as opposed to a consumer loan, in order to receive a “lower interest rate and protection from personal liability[.]” As a part of the transaction, the consumers signed an arbitration agreement that covered “‘any dispute or controversy’ arising from the transaction.” The consumers subsequently filed suit, arguing, among other things, that the bank committed “an unfair, deceptive, abusive act, or practice…by coaxing the [consumers] into forming an LLC and taking out a less favorable commercial loan” rather than a consumer loan, which they originally sought. The bank moved to compel arbitration, and the district court granted the motion and dismissed the action with prejudice.

    On appeal, the 5th Circuit agreed with the district court, rejecting the consumers’ argument that there was not a valid agreement to arbitrate. The appellate court concluded that the agreement was neither procedurally nor substantively unconscionable, noting that the consumers voluntarily entered into the agreement and the provision entitling “the victor in arbitration to recover fees from the losing party” was not “one-sided or oppressive.” Moreover, the appellate court concluded that the consumers failed to provide any federal policy or statute that would support their additional argument that the bank’s alleged UDAAP violation would void an otherwise valid arbitration agreement. Thus, the panel affirmed the district court’s order.

    Courts Appellate Fifth Circuit Arbitration UDAAP

  • OCC releases recent enforcement actions

    Federal Issues

    On July 16, the OCC released a list of recent enforcement actions taken against national banks, federal savings associations, and individuals currently and formerly affiliated with such entities. Included among the actions is a June 23 consent order, which resolves OCC claims that a California-based bank violated a 2016 consent order concerning Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering compliance program deficiencies. According to the OCC, the bank failed to timely comply with the 2016 consent order and is required to pay a $100,000 civil money penalty. The list also includes a July 25 civil money penalty order against a New York-based bank, which requires the payment of $43,000 for an alleged pattern or practice of violations of the Flood Disaster Protection Act and its implementing regulations.

    Additionally, an Iowa-based bank and the OCC reached a formal agreement on June 16 for alleged unsafe or unsound practices related to, among other things, credit underwriting, credit administration, problem loan management, and real estate valuation practices. Among other conditions, the agreement requires the bank to (i) appoint a compliance committee to ensure adherence to the agreement’s provisions; (ii) establish a three-year strategic plan outlining goals and objectives related to the bank’s risk profile and liability structure; (iii) submit a commercial and retail credit underwriting and administration program to ensure the bank “analyzes credit and collateral information sufficient to identify, monitor, and report the [b]ank’s credit risk, properly account for loans, and assign accurate risk ratings in a timely manner”; (iv) implement programs providing for an annual review of loans, loan level stress testing, and problem loan management; (v) implement an exception tracking and reporting system; and (vi) establish an appraisal and evaluation program.

    Federal Issues OCC Enforcement Bank Secrecy Act Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Flood Insurance Underwriting

  • FTC, Florida issue TRO against rate-reduction operation

    Federal Issues

    On July 16, the FTC and the Florida attorney general announced that the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida granted a temporary restraining order against an allegedly fraudulent credit card interest rate reduction operation. According to the complaint, the operation violated the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices act by targeting “financially distressed consumers and older adults” through telemarketing phone calls promising to substantially reduce their credit card interest rates and charging consumers upfront fees, ranging from $995 to $3,995. The operation typically charged the fees “during, or immediately following, the telemarketing call, often by using remotely created payment orders” against the consumer’s checking account or credit card. The complaint asserts that consumers often did not receive permanently reduced credit card interest rates, nor did they save “thousands of dollars on their credit card debt,” as promised. Beyond the temporary restraining order, the FTC is seeking a permanent injunction, restitution, and civil money penalties.

    Federal Issues FTC State Issues State Attorney General Florida FTC Act Telemarketing Sales Rule Courts

  • FDIC encourages regulatory relief for Michigan borrowers affected by severe weather

    Federal Issues

    On July 16, the FDIC issued FIL-70-2020 to provide regulatory relief to financial institutions and help facilitate recovery in areas of Michigan affected by severe storms and flooding from May 16 through May 22. In the guidance, the FDIC encourages institutions to consider, among other things, (i) extending repayment terms; (ii) restructuring existing loans; or (iii) easing terms for new loans to borrowers affected by the severe weather, provided the measures are “done in a manner consistent with sound banking practices, can contribute to the health of the local community and serve the long-term interests of the lending institution.” Additionally, the FDIC notes that institutions may receive Community Reinvestment Act consideration for community development loans, investments, and services in support of disaster recovery. The FDIC states it will also consider relief from certain filing and publishing requirements.

    Find continuing InfoBytes coverage on disaster relief guidance here.

    Federal Issues FDIC Consumer Finance Disaster Relief Michigan

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