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Kraninger emphasizes need for FCRA and CARES Act compliance
On June 19, CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger spoke during a Consumer Data Industry Association webinar, warning information furnishers and consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) that the Bureau has dedicated significant resources toward enforcement of certain provisions of the CARES Act and the FCRA. Specifically, Kraninger emphasized the Bureau’s reliance on consumer complaint data to inform its supervisory and enforcement activity and noted that April and May had the highest monthly complaint volumes in the Bureau’s history, with approximately 7,200 complaints mentioning Covid-19 related terms during that time. Kraninger referenced the Bureau’s April policy statement, which stated the Bureau would take a “flexible supervisory and enforcement approach during this pandemic regarding compliance with the [FCRA] and Regulation V” (covered by InfoBytes here). However, Kraninger warned that furnishers are still required to comply with the CARES Act, and that the “Bureau expects CRAs and furnishers to make good faith efforts to investigate disputes as quickly as possible.” According to Kraninger, due to the unique challenges the Covid-19 pandemic has created, the Bureau will evaluate each CRA and furnisher’s respective efforts and circumstances on an individual basis to determine whether it made the good faith effort to investigate as quickly as possible.
Fed vice chairman discusses stress testing adaptability due to Covid-19 pandemic
On June 19, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Randal K. Quarles spoke at a meeting of the Women in Housing and Finance regarding adjustments to the Fed’s periodic stress testing of large banks in the wake of Covid-19. Quarles explained that because the Fed lacked the time and comprehensive data to run a complete and updated Covid-19 event stress test this year, the Fed made the decision to continue with the “severely adverse scenario” begun in February 2020, while also performing a new “sensitivity analysis.” The sensitivity analysis considers three distinct downside risk paths for the economy—a rapid recovery, a slower recovery, and a W-shaped double-dip recession.
As in past years, the Fed intends to disclose annual stress test results using the February 2020 scenario (run against bank exposures as of December 2019), which will include both firm-specific and aggregate results. Quarles also indicated the Fed would be disclosing some results from the new sensitivity analysis. According to Quarles, these results will not be firm-specific, but will be “aggregated across banks comparing how the banking system as a whole would fare under the three distinct views of the future.” The Fed also plans to “move ahead and provide all banks subject to stress testing with a stress capital buffer requirement based on the February 2020 scenario, under [the Fed’s] new approach integrating stress testing with capital requirements.” Once banks determine their final plans, the Fed will publicly release the final capital requirements for each individual bank later this year before they take effect in the fourth quarter as planned. Quarles also noted that additional policy actions, if warranted, may be taken in the coming months as the Fed continues to monitor the economic conditions.
Nebraska to accept in person business filings
On June 18, the Nebraska secretary of state announced that its Business Services division will be open to the public for business filings, notarizations, and UCC filings. Appointments are required and masks must be worn for in-person appointments.
New York Department of Financial Services announces remote online testing for insurance licensing exams
On June 11, the New York Department of Financial Services announced that remote online proctored testing will be available beginning on June 15, 2020, for all 28 New York insurance licensing exams. As a result, candidates will be able to take exams at a testing center or from their home or office.
Missouri extends executive order regarding remote notary services
On June 11, the Missouri governor issued an executive order extending, among others, Executive Order 20-08 relating to remote notary services, which was previously covered here. The extension permits notarial acts to be performed using audio-video technology, provided certain conditions are met, through August 28.
California governor extends time period to submit real estate renewal applications, fees, and continuing education requirements
On June 15, the California governor issued Executive Order N-69-20, which extends the provisions of the governor’s April 16 executive order, Executive Order N-52-20, and grants an additional 60-day extension to submit real estate license renewal applications, fees, and continuing education requirements. The California Department of Real Estate also updated its FAQs for applicants and licensees regarding Executive Order N-69-20 and Executive Order N-52-20.
FHFA adds new translated Covid-19 resources on LEP site
On June 16, FHFA added new translated versions of its Covid-19 resources to its Mortgage Translations website. The website now includes English, Spanish, traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Tagalog translations of scripts that servicers may use when discussing Covid-19 forbearance with borrowers. The revised Mortgage Assistance Application also is available in the same six languages.
Washington amends and extends proclamations regarding state of emergency, garnishments, and accrual of interest
On June 18, the Washington governor issued Proclamation 20-49.5, which amends and extends proclamations 20-05 (declaring a state of emergency) 20-49 (regarding garnishments and accrual of interest), 20-49.1 (garnishments and accrual of interest), 20-49.2 (garnishments and accrual of interest), 20-49.3 (garnishments), and 20-49.4 (garnishments). These proclamations were previously covered here and here. The referenced proclamations are amended to (1) recognize the extension of statutory waivers and suspensions by the Washington Legislature until the termination of the Covid-19 State of Emergency or 11:59 p.m. on July 1, 2020, whichever is first, and (2) similarly extend the prohibitions therein until the termination of the Covid-19 state of emergency or 11:59 p.m. on July 1, 2020, whichever is first.
OFAC sanctions Nigerian nationals involved in business email compromise and romance fraud scheme
On June 16, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced a coordinated action with the DOJ against six Nigerian nationals who allegedly conducted a business email compromise (BEC) scheme and engaged in romance fraud to steal more than $6 million from U.S. businesses and individuals. The designated individuals’ actions included, among other things, allegedly impersonating businesses executives to request and receive wire transfers from legitimate business accounts, and using manipulative tactics to gain access to usernames, passwords, and bank accounts. OFAC designated the individuals pursuant to Executive Order 13694, which “targets malicious cyber-enabled activities, including those related to the significant misappropriation of funds or economic resources for private financial gain.” As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to the designated individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and “U.S. persons generally are prohibited from dealing with them.”
OFAC also provided additional information regarding BEC scams and romance fraud and referred to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s July 2019 advisory, which addresses efforts designed to restrict and impede BEC scammers and other illicit actors who profit from email compromise fraud schemes (covered by InfoBytes here).
District court holds text system is not an autodialer under 7th Circuit definition
On June 15, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana granted a motion for summary judgment in favor of a collection agency and another company (collectively, “defendants”) with respect to the plaintiff’s TCPA allegations, holding that the system used to send text messages to class members’ cell phones is not an automatic telephone dialing system (autodialer). According to the opinion, the plaintiff filed the class action alleging, among other things, that the defendants violated the TCPA by sending unsolicited text messages using an autodialer to cell phones after the recipients replied with “stop.” The parties submitted cross-motions for summary judgment, which were stayed pending the outcome of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit decision in Gadelhak v. AT&T Servs., Inc. As previously covered by InfoBytes, the 7th Circuit held in February that to be an autodialer under the TCPA, the system must both store and produce phone numbers “using a random or sequential number generator.” After reviewing the cross-motions in light of the 7th Circuit decision, the court concluded that the system used by the defendants is not an autodialer under the controlling definition because the defendants’ system sends text messages to cell phone numbers from stored customer lists. Notwithstanding the fact that neither party disputes that the text messages sent to the class members post-“stop” message were without their consent, the court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants because the text messages were not sent using an autodialer.