We are pleased to share a new podcast episode, which was taken from our September 9, 2025, webinar featuring Malini Mithal, Associate Director of the Federal Trade Commission's Division of Financial Practices. Malini has been a valued guest on our podcast in past years, and this session provided another timely and insightful discussion. In today's episode she gives her thoughts on the FTC's recent non-antitrust consumer protection initiatives.

Major Key Topics Discussed

1.     Fintech oversight – Malini began with FTC activity involving fintechs, particularly companies promoting faster access to cash, and addressed related lending and payments cases.

2.     Subscription practices under ROSCA – She highlighted the FTC's enforcement of the Restore Online Confidence Shoppers Act, including lawsuits against Uber and LA Fitness and a settlement with Match.

3.     Unfair and Deceptive Fees Rule – Effective May 12, 2025, this rule bans bait-and-switch pricing and hidden fees in industries such as live-event ticketing and short-term lodging. Malini explained how these practices harm consumers and distort competition.

4.     Auto finance transparency – Another area of focus for the FTC, reflecting the agency's broader emphasis on price transparency.

5.     Debt collection, debt relief, and credit repair – Malini reviewed recent FTC enforcement activity in these high-risk sectors.

6.     Crypto platforms – She concluded with a discussion of the FTC's work addressing crypto platforms that market banking-like services to consumers.

After Malini left the webinar, John Culhane, a partner in our Consumer Financial Services Group, provided an update on developments at the FTC in terms of budget and staffing and the ongoing litigation challenging the Trump Administration's removal of two Democratic FTC Commissioners without cause and then discussed areas where we expect to see more FTC "regulation by enforcement" activity.

Consumer Finance Monitor is hosted by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel at Ballard Spahr, and the founder and former chair of the firm's Consumer Financial Services Group. We encourage listeners to subscribe to the podcast on their preferred platform for weekly insights into developments in the consumer finance industry.