Recent amendments to NYC’s debt collection rules impose new requirements relating to consumers’ language proficiency.  Following an overview, we take a close look at the specific requirements and their applicability to first- and third-party collections, discuss the DCA’s authority, availability of federal preemption, and compliance challenges, and offer thoughts on best compliance practices.

After reviewing the legal foundation for federal preemption of state law limits on interest, we discuss the final OCC/FDIC “Madden fix” rules, the “true lender” issue, potential Congressional or litigation challenges to OCC/FDIC “Madden fix” and “true lender” rules, and recent developments in litigation involving Madden or “true lender” challenges to bank/nonbank partnerships and securitizations.

The topics we discuss are: implications of the SCOTUS Seila Law decision on CFPB rules, past consent orders, ongoing enforcement, and the Texas lawsuit challenging the CFPB payday loan rule; DOJ/FTC auto dealer fair lending actions, status of disparate impact, and Google targeted advertising changes; the CFPB’s new advisory opinion program; timing of CFPB debt collection final rule; and OCC/FDIC final rules to undo Madden and plans to address “true lender.”

We are joined by Deepak Gupta, a renowned consumer advocate who has argued multiple cases before the Supreme Court. After reviewing the history of the controversy over the CFPB’s constitutionality, our discussion focuses on the decision’s potential impact on past, ongoing, and future CFPB rulemaking and enforcement activities, including what steps the CFPB may take to preserve or reverse its pre-Seila Law actions, and the decision’s potential significance for other agencies.

The recent announcement by a consumer lender in an SEC filing that it had earmarked $21.7 million to resolve an SEC probe into its FCPA compliance could signal new interest by regulators in enforcing the FCPA against consumer financial services providers with operations outside of the U.S. In this podcast, we review what practices are prohibited by the FCPA, which regulators enforce the FCPA, how the FCPA can be enforced and penalties for non-compliance, and tips for avoiding FCPA liability.

The issue of whether a consumer can unilaterally revoke consent to receive automated remains a significant concern for industry. We look at how the FCC and courts have approached the issue and discuss recent significant decisions from federal appeals courts holding that the TCPA does not allow a consumer to unilaterally revoke consent when it is given as part of a bargained-for exchange.

In Part II of our podcast, we discuss the following with Andrew Smith, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, and Malini Mithal, Associate Director of the FTC’s Division of Financial Practices: recent FTC enforcement and regulatory activity in the areas of data security, privacy, lead generation, and payments; highlights of the FTC’s workshop on credit reporting accuracy; status of litigation challenging the FTC’s restitution authority; and coordination with CFPB and state attorneys general.

In Part I of our two-part podcast, we discuss the following topics with Andrew Smith, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, and Malini Mithal, Associate Director of the FTC’s Division of Financial Practices: the FTC’s response to COVID-19, important recent FTC enforcement actions and priorities going forward, Director Smith’s recent blog post on using artificial intelligence and algorithms, and recent FTC activity involving fintech and small business lending.

We explore a wide range of topics with AG Weiser including: who are his key staff members and their backgrounds; his office’s actions in response to COVID-19; recent changes to the CO Consumer Protection Act; and his office’s activities concerning student loans, robocalls, payday lending, and data privacy and security and its approach to consumer complaints.

We look at why compliance with the compensation provisions remains a high risk area for the mortgage industry. Discussion topics include how the Bureau identifies violations, litigation and enforcement liability, secondary market considerations, the Bureau’s increasing enforcement activity, and the areas likely to be revisited by the Bureau in proposed revisions to the compensation provisions.