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  • CFPB, NY AG sue debt collector to seize transferred property

    Federal Issues

    On April 22, the CFPB and the New York attorney general filed a complaint against the owner of a now-defunct debt-collection firm for allegedly transferring ownership of his $1.6 million home to his wife and daughter for $1 shortly after he received a civil investigative demand and learned that the Bureau and the AG were conducting an investigation into his debt-collection activities. As previously covered by InfoBytes, the Bureau and the AG reached settlements in 2019 with the debt collection operation to resolve allegations that the defendants established and operated a network of companies that harassed and/or deceived consumers into paying inflated debts or amounts they may not have owed. The terms of the settlements imposed civil money penalties and consumer redress and permanently banned the defendants from acting as debt collectors. According to the complaint, the owner defendant has paid nothing toward satisfying the 2019 settlement, nor has he cooperated with the Bureau and the AG’s efforts to obtain relevant financial information. The complaint further claims that the transfer of the property was a fraudulent transfer under the Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act and made with the intent to defraud (a violation of the New York Debtor and Creditor Law), and alleges that the owner defendant “removed and concealed assets in an effort to render the Judgment obtained by the Government Plaintiffs uncollectable.” Moreover, because the property was allegedly “transferred with intent to hinder, delay, or defraud a creditor,” the complaint contends that the owner defendant is “not entitled to claim any homestead exemption.” The complaint asks the court to void the property transfer and to allow seizure of the property. Additionally, the Bureau and the AG request that the house be sold with all proceeds going towards the owner defendant’s 2019 settlement, and seek a monetary judgment against the owner defendant’s wife and daughter for the value of the property as transferees of the fraudulent conveyance of the property.

    Federal Issues CFPB State Attorney General State Issues Enforcement Debt Collection FDCPA

  • Minnesota AG settles with student debt relief company

    State Issues

    On April 13, the Minnesota attorney general announced a settlement with a California-based student loan debt relief company that allegedly: (i) collected illegal fees from customers; (ii) misrepresented its services to cease operations in Minnesota by not providing full refunds to its Minnesota consumers; and (iii) violated Minnesota’s Debt Services Settlement Act, Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act, and Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The AG alleged that the company “falsely promised consumers student-loan forgiveness, when only the federal government can forgive federal student loans.” Under the terms of the settlement, the company is required to pay the AG $18,190.50, which will be used to provide full restitution to consumers. The settlement also requires the company to cease operations in Minnesota until it becomes registered as a debt-settlement service provider.

    State Issues State Attorney General Courts Student Lending Debt Relief Usury Settlement

  • CFPB: Debt collectors must provide written notice for evictions

    Federal Issues

    On April 19, the CFPB issued an interim final rule (IFR) to amend Regulation F, which implements the FDCPA, that will require debt collectors to provide tenants written notice alerting them of their rights under the CDC’s moratorium on evictions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Failure to provide notice will be considered a violation of the FDCPA, which may result in a private right of action as well as actual damages, statutory damages, and attorney’s fees. The Bureau noted in its press release that the IFR does not preempt more protective state laws. Additionally, debt collectors are prohibited from misrepresenting renters’ eligibility for temporary protection under the CDC’s moratorium. Sample disclosure language and a summary of the IFR have been provided by the Bureau as well.

    The IFR will take effect May 3. Comments are due 15 days after publication in the Federal Register.

    Federal Issues CFPB Debt Collection Covid-19 Agency Rule-Making & Guidance CDC FDCPA State Attorney General

  • PA AG settles with collector over payday loan scheme

    State Issues

    On April 9, the Pennsylvania attorney general announced settlements with the former CEO of a since-dissolved lender and a debt collector to resolve claims that the collector charged borrowers interest rates as high as 448 percent on loans and lines of credit. The AG alleged that the former CEO “participated in, directed and controlled” business activities related to the allegedly illegal online payday lending scheme, while the debt collector collected more than $4 million related to Pennsylvania consumers’ loan accounts. The terms of the settlement require the individual defendant to comply with relevant consumer protection laws and limits the individual defendant’s ability to work in the consumer lending industry in Pennsylvania for the next nine years. Additionally, the individual defendant is required to pay the Commonwealth $3 million.

    The AG’s office noted that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania also approved a settlement with the debt collector, which requires the company to comply with relevant consumer protection laws and, among other things, undertake the following actions: (i) ensure that all acquired debts, for which it attempts to collect, comply with applicable laws and regulations; (ii) cancel all balances on applicable accounts, take no further action to collect debts allegedly owed by Pennsylvania consumers on these accounts, and notify consumers of the cancellations; (iii) “refrain from engaging in [c]ollections on any [d]ebts involving loans made over the internet by [n]on-bank lenders that violate Pennsylvania laws,” including its usury laws; and (iv) will not sell, re-sell, or assign debt related to applicable accounts, including accounts subject to a previously-negotiated nationwide class action settlement agreement and Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan. Previous InfoBytes coverage related to the payday lending scheme can be found here, here, and here.

    State Issues Courts State Attorney General Interest Rate Usury Consumer Finance Settlement Enforcement Debt Collection Payday Lending

  • NY AG obtains $53 million judgment against company selling debt relief on student loans

    Courts

    On March 30, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered a default judgment and order against a student debt relief company, which requires the payment of $53 million in statutory penalties, after the defendant failed to respond to a suit filed by the New York attorney general. The AG alleged that the defendant sold debt-relief services to student loan borrowers that violated several laws, including the state’s usury, banking, credit repair, and telemarketing laws, and the federal Credit Repair Organizations Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule. In addition to the $53 million penalty, the order permanently bans the defendant from engaging in debt-relief activities, collecting on loans related to its debt relief products or services, or using any personal information it has for student borrowers. The court also ordered the defendant to turn over financial records and authorized the AG’s office to seek additional restitution and disgorgement on the basis of those records. The order follows a 2020 stipulated judgment entered against other defendants in the action, which included a $5.5 million judgment (covered by InfoBytes here).

    Courts State Issues State Attorney General Student Lending Debt Relief Usury Telemarketing Sales Rule

  • NY AG exempts stimulus payments from garnishment

    State Issues

    On March 24, the New York attorney general issued official guidance for New York state banking institutions, creditors, and debt collectors to clarify that federal stimulus payments are exempt from garnishment under New York law. The guidance, which is based on multiple state and federal consumer protection laws, explains that any attempt to garnish stimulus funds from consumers in the state would constitute “illegal acts” because such garnishment would violate prohibitions under the New York City Consumer Protection Law, New York General Business Law 601(8), the FDCPA, and Dodd-Frank prohibitions of unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts or practices. Banking institutions are also advised to treat these stimulus payments “as subject to the same protections as statutorily exempt payments.”

    State Issues State Attorney General Debt Collection Consumer Finance Covid-19

  • California again modifies CCPA regs; appoints privacy agency’s board

    State Issues

    On March 15, the California attorney general announced approval of additional regulations implementing the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The CCPA—enacted in June 2018 (covered by a Buckley Special Alert) and amended several times—became effective January 1, 2020. According to the announcement, the newly-approved amendments strengthen the language of CCPA regulations approved by OAL last August (covered by InfoBytes here). Specifically, the new amendments:

    • Require businesses selling personal information collected in the course of interacting with consumers offline to provide consumers about their right to opt out via offline communications. Consumers must also be provided instructions on how to submit opt-out requests.
    • Provide an opt-out icon for businesses to use in addition to posting a notice of right to opt-out. The amendments note that the opt-out icon may not be used in lieu of requirements to post opt-out notices or “do not sell my personal information” links.
    • Require companies to use opt-out methods that are “easy” for consumers to execute and that require “minimal” steps to opt-out. Specifically, a “business’s process for submitting a request to opt-out shall not require more steps than that business’s process for a consumer to opt-in to the sale of personal information after having previously opted out.” Additionally, except as otherwise permitted by the regulations, companies are prohibited from requiring consumers to provide unnecessary personal information to implement an opt-out request, and may not require consumers to click through or listen to reasons as to why they should not submit an opt-out request. The amendments also state that businesses cannot require consumers “to search or scroll through the text of a privacy policy or similar document or webpage to locate the mechanism for submitting a request to opt-out.”

    The AG’s press release also notes that the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), which was approved by voters last November and sought to amend the CCPA, will transfer some of the AG’s responsibilities to the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), covered by InfoBytes here; however, the AG will retain the authority to go to court to enforce the law. Enforcement of the CPRA will begin in 2023.

    Additionally, on March 17, the California governor announced appointments to the five-member inaugural board for the CPPA, consisting of experts in privacy, technology, and consumer rights. The CPPA is tasked with protecting the privacy rights of consumers over their personal information, and “will have full administrative power, authority, and jurisdiction to implement and enforce” the CCPA and the CPRA, including bringing enforcement actions before an administrative law judge.

    State Issues State Regulators CCPA State Attorney General Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security CPRA CPPA Consumer Protection

  • States reach data breach settlement with debt collector

    State Issues

    On March 11, a coalition of 41 state attorneys general, led by the New York attorney general, announced a settlement with a bankrupt debt collection agency to resolve a multistate investigation into a 2019 data breach that allegedly exposed the personal information of more than 21 million individuals, including Social Security numbers, payment card information, and in certain instances, medical test names and diagnostic codes. According to the proposed consent order, an unauthorized user accessed the company’s internal system and accessed consumers’ personal information. The AGs claimed that “[d]espite numerous warnings from banks that processed its payments about a potential breach, [the company] failed to detect the intrusion.” Under the terms of the settlement, the company has agreed to implement data security practices to strengthen its information security program and safeguard consumers’ personal information. These measures include: (i) creating and implementing an information security program that includes an incident response plan; (ii) employing a chief information security officer to oversee data safety practices; and (iii) hiring a third-party assessor to conduct an information security assessment. Additionally, should the company fail to honor the injunctive terms of the settlement it may be liable for as much as $21 million.

    State Issues State Attorney General Data Breach Privacy/Cyber Risk & Data Security Settlement

  • New York reaches settlement with bank over check-cashing program

    State Issues

    On March 1, the New York attorney general entered into an agreement with an Ohio-based bank resolving an investigation into the bank’s alleged deceptive advertising practices. According to the AG, the bank introduced a check-cashing program advertised to consumers in the state as a method to cash government and payroll checks at a low cost. The program, which was intended to assist the underbanked and unbanked in low- and middle-income (LMI) communities, allowed consumers who did not have deposit accounts with the bank to participate in the program. The AG alleged, however, that the program was not being implemented as promoted and was not available in branches where it was advertised, nor was it allegedly available to testers who tried to use the program. While neither admitting nor denying the allegations, the bank has agreed to provide $5 million to be used as down payment and home-closing cost assistance for LMI New Yorkers, and it will apply to become a participating lender with the State of New York Mortgage Agency. The bank has also agreed to originate $145 million in mortgage loans to LMI homebuyers in the state over the next five years and will waive certain fees associated with the loans.

    State Issues State Attorney General Cash Checking Settlement Consumer Finance

  • Virginia reaches settlement with open-end credit plan lender

    State Issues

    On March 4, the Virginia attorney general announced a settlement with an open-end credit plan lender, resolving allegations that the company violated Virginia consumer finance laws by (i) imposing a $100 origination fee on loans during a statutorily-mandated finance charge-free grace period; (ii) “[e]ngaging in a pattern of repeat transactions and ‘rollover’ loans with thousands of consumers who were required to close accounts that they paid down to a $0 balance,” but were then allowed to open new accounts for which new fees were charged on a monthly basis; and (iii) charging interest on accounts at an annual rate of 273.75 percent, far exceeding the 36 percent limit that open-end credit lenders are allowed to charge. Under the terms of the settlement, the company is permanently enjoined from further violating Virginia’s consumer finance laws, and is required to pay $850,000 in restitution and $150,00 in attorneys’ fees and settlement costs. The company must also provide more than $10 million in debt forbearance on “accounts that remain unpaid and that were not converted to a separate loan program in October 2018.”

    State Issues State Attorney General Enforcement Consumer Protection Consumer Lending Predatory Lending

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