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  • CFPB releases resources for servicemembers affected by Covid-19

    Federal Issues

    On April 15, the CFPB issued a blog post providing resources for servicemembers, veterans, and military families impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bureau discusses military aid societies where servicemembers and military families can apply for emergency grants and zero-interest loans, and hardship duty pay and other allowances afforded to military families affected by the Stop Movement Order that halted domestic travel by military personnel. The Bureau also provides information for managing mortgage payments and student loans, and reminds active-duty servicemembers, military spouses and National Guard personnel and reservists on active duty for more than 30 consecutive days of their rights under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Military Lending Act. These will include being able to terminate contracts under certain conditions and to receive protections for many types of consumer credit and loans. The blog post also highlights recent changes made to existing programs due to challenges presented by Covid-19, including the expansion of online access for veterans to file benefit claims and the continuation of GI Bill program funding.

    Federal Issues Servicemembers Consumer Finance CFPB Covid-19 SCRA Military Lending Act

  • CFPB publishes annual report on servicemember complaints

    Federal Issues

    On April 3, the CFPB Office of Servicemember Affairs (OSA) released its annual report, which provides an overview of OSA’s activities in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities for fiscal year 2019 and covers the period between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019. OSA’s responsibilities include monitoring complaints from military consumers, and the report highlights issues facing military consumers based on approximately 34,600 complaints submitted by servicemembers, veterans, and their families (collectively “servicemembers”). Key takeaways from the report include the following:

    • Education and empowerment. OSA examined financial issues that impact military consumers and provided various educational tools on topics including the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, the Military Lending Act, mortgage lending and foreclosure protections, and credit reporting and monitoring. These tools include in-person outreach and digital education and engagement resources.
    • Consumer complaints. Thirty-six percent of servicemember complaints focused on credit or consumer reporting. Complaints related to debt collection were the second most frequent issue, with most complaints alleging that debt collectors were attempting to collect debt that the servicemember did not owe. In particular, OSA expressed concern about complaints where “the debt collector ‘took or threatened to take negative or legal action.’” With respect to mortgage debt, many servicemembers reported challenges in the payment process, as well as difficulties in being able to afford mortgage payments. With respect to credit cards, the greatest concentration of complaints focused on problems with purchases on statements. Checking or savings account complaints centered on issues related to account management, and more than two-thirds of student lending complaints related to challenges dealing with lenders or servicers. With respect to auto lending, complaints focused on managing the loan or lease. Other complaint categories included money transfers/services and virtual currency, personal loans, prepaid cards, credit repair, and title loans.
    • Agency coordination. During the reporting period, OSA coordinated several consumer protection activities with federal and state government agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs (VA), Education, and Treasury, as well as the FTC, SEC, and state attorneys general. OSA also noted its participation in interagency working groups focused on helping servicemembers.
    • Military consumer research. Coordinated research efforts into the financial well-being of veterans and the increased use of home loans guaranteed by the VA are highlighted.

    Federal Issues CFPB Servicemembers Consumer Complaints Consumer Education Consumer Finance SCRA Military Lending Act

  • DOJ reminds landlords of servicemember rights during Covid-19 crisis

    Federal Issues

    On March 30, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division released a statement encouraging landlords and property managers to provide flexibility for servicemembers who have had to quickly change housing plans and employment responsibilities. The Division explained that due to the Covid-19 outbreak, a March 13 Stop Movement Order halted domestic travel by military personnel. As a result, many servicemembers who had signed leases for housing in anticipation of a move to a new duty station will not be able to move until May 11, at the earliest. The statement continues that “[c]onsistent with federal and state law” property managers are urged “to afford the men and women of our armed forces maximum flexibility to adjust their residential lease obligations as needed to comply with military orders during this uncertain time.” The statement reminds property managers and landlords of “the responsibilities they have with respect to members of the National Guard and Reserve under USERRA, the SCRA and similar state laws,” adding that the Division “will act swiftly to bring violators to justice.”

    Servicemembers with concerns regarding their civil rights should contact the DOJ or their nearest Armed Forces Assistance Program Office.

    Federal Issues DOJ Servicemembers SCRA USERRA Covid-19 Consumer Protection

  • DOJ announces $3 million SCRA settlement with auto finance company

    Federal Issues

    On August 1, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a $3 million settlement with a captive auto finance company, resolving allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by repossessing 113 vehicles owned by SCRA-protected servicemembers without first obtaining court orders and failing to refund upfront capitalized cost reduction (CCR) amounts to servicemembers who lawfully terminated vehicle leases early under the SCRA. According to the DOJ’s complaint, when a servicemember terminated their lease early pursuant to the SCRA, the finance company retained the entire CCR amount even though the SCRA requires that it refund all lease amounts paid in advance for a period after the effective date of the termination. The settlement agreement covers all repossessions of servicemembers vehicles and leases terminated by servicemembers since January 2008, and requires the finance company to create an almost $3 million settlement fund to compensate affected servicemembers and pay the U.S. Treasury $62,000. Moreover, the agreement requires the finance company to review and update its SCRA policies and procedures to prevent future violations and to provide SCRA compliance training to specified employees.

    Federal Issues DOJ SCRA Servicemembers Department of Treasury

  • North Carolina enacts state SCRA, expands protections

    State Issues

    On July 25, the North Carolina governor signed SB 420, the “NC Servicemembers Civil Relief Act” (NCSCRA), which, among other things, incorporates into state law the rights, benefits and protections of the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and extends those provisions to members of the North Carolina National Guard serving on state active duty and to members of the National Guard of other states serving on state active duty who reside in North Carolina. In addition to the rights afforded to servicemembers in the SCRA, the NCSCRA (i) expands certain protections for dependents of servicemembers, including protections against default judgments and an interest rate cap of six percent; (ii) authorizes the termination of certain service contracts, allowing servicemembers and their dependents to terminate telephone, internet, cable TV, satellite radio, and prepaid entertainments contracts upon relocation orders for 90 days or more to a location that does not support such services; and (iii) allows for the extension of residential lease agreements until 10 days after a member of the North Carolina National Guard or a member of another state’s National Guard who is residing in North Carolina’s active duty terminates. The NCSCRA provides for action by the attorney general for any violation, with a civil penalty up to $5,000 per violation and also allows for a private right of action by an aggrieved servicemember.

    State Issues Military Lending State Legislation SCRA

  • OCC releases June enforcement actions

    Federal Issues

    On July 18, 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. The new enforcement actions include personal cease-and-desist orders, civil money penalties, formal agreements, prompt corrective action directives, removal and prohibition orders, and terminations of existing enforcement actions. Included in the list is a formal agreement issued against a Texas-based bank on June 20 for alleged unsafe or unsound practices related to, among other things, compliance risk management and violations of laws and regulations concerning the Flood Disaster Protection Act (FDPA), Bank Secrecy Act, TILA, RESPA, and the Expedited Funds Availability Act. Among other things, the agreement requires the bank to (i) appoint a compliance committee responsible for submitting a written progress report detailing specific corrective actions; (ii) ensure that it has “sufficient and competent management”; (iii) prepare a risk-based consumer compliance program, which must include revised policies and procedures related to the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act, TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule, and the FDPA; and (iv) take measures to “ensure that current and satisfactory credit and proper collateral information is maintained on all loans.”

    Federal Issues OCC Enforcement Bank Compliance Flood Disaster Protection Act Bank Secrecy Act TILA RESPA SCRA

  • Hawaii extends relief to full-time National Guard; adds vehicle lease terminations

    State Issues

    On June 7, the Hawaii governor signed HB 991, which extends the state’s military civil relief protections to persons serving on full time National Guard duty under Section 101(19) of Title 32 of the U.S. Code. Additionally, the bill amends other provisions of the state’s military civil relief law to align with the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, including (i) extending the duration of a stay of any action from 60 days to 90 days after a period of military service ends, and (ii) extending the termination of lease provisions to cover motor vehicle leases, in addition to residential leases. The bill became effective on June 7.  

    State Issues State Legislation Military Lending SCRA

  • National bank settles alleged SCRA violations

    Courts

    Recently, the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas granted a plaintiff’s motion for final approval of a class action settlement resolving allegations that a national bank violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act by incorrectly repossessing vehicles owned by certain servicemembers. The bank, which denied all claims and allegations of wrongdoing, entered into the settlement agreement to avoid further uncertainties and expenses. The approximately $5.1 million settlement fund will go to affected servicemembers who have not, as of the effective date, already accepted payments in accordance with settlement agreements reached between the bank and the DOJ and OCC in 2016. (Covered by InfoBytes here.)

    Courts Servicemembers SCRA Auto Finance

  • South Carolina enacts servicemembers civil relief act

    State Issues

    On April 26, the South Carolina governor signed H 3180 to enact the South Carolina Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which will “expand and supplement the rights, benefits, and protections of the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)” and provide that a violation of the SCRA is a violation of the state’s act. In particular, the Act expands federal SCRA’s definition of “military service” to include South Carolina guardsman who are on state active duty, subject to certain requirements. It also provides that a “dependent of a servicemember engaged in military service has the same rights and protections provided to a servicemember” under both the Act and the SCRA and expands contract termination rights for servicemembers receiving “military orders to relocate for a period of service of at least ninety days to a location that does not support the contract,” encompassing phone, internet, TV, and gym subscriptions. The Act took effect upon signature and is applicable to contracts executed on or after April 26.

    State Issues State Legislation Servicemembers SCRA

  • DOJ announces $1.59 million settlement with real estate management company for alleged SCRA violations

    Federal Issues

    On March 15, the DOJ announced a $1.59 million settlement with a real estate management company resolving allegations that the company and its entities violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by obtaining unlawful court judgments and charging unlawful lease termination fees. According to the complaint, from 2006 to 2017, the company obtained at least 152 default judgments against 127 “SCRA-protected servicemembers” by failing to accurately disclose their military status in affidavits filed with the court. Additionally, the DOJ alleged that the company wrongfully withheld security deposits and imposed early lease termination fees on servicemembers who sought termination due to qualifying military orders under the SCRA. Under the terms of the settlement, the company will pay (i) nearly $1.5 million to compensate 127 servicemembers who had allegedly unlawful default judgments entered against them; (ii) nearly $35,000 to compensate 10 servicemembers who were charged early lease termination fees; and (iii) a civil money penalty of $62,000. The settlement also requires the company to develop policies and procedures related to SCRA lease terminations and default judgments, conduct SCRA compliance training for employees involved with lease issues, and request that major credit reporting agencies delete trade lines and negative credit information for the affected servicemembers.

    Federal Issues DOJ SCRA Servicemembers Military Lending Settlement Enforcement

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