ProPublia reports that, “[f]acing financial ruin, the Lac du Flambeau tribe began offering short-term loans online with annual rates often over 600%. But as the tribe rose in an industry derided for predatory practices, it put its reputation at risk and drew costly lawsuits.” The article is here.
Author Archives: Allison Zieve
The Hill reports that Home Depot has agreed to pay nearly $2 million to settle a civil complaint from multiple California district attorneys alleging the company took part in false advertising and unfair competition. The story is here.
Environmental Health News reports that a “new U.S. Food and Drug Administration food program, focused on chemical safety, could be an important step to ensure the food we feed our families is safe from harmful chemicals.” The program “will specifically reassess which artificial chemicals are allowed in food.” The article is here.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau published a report this week finding Americans are paying tens of millions of dollars in fees to access their own money when getting “cash back” at large retail stores when making a purchase with a debit or prepaid card. These fees are occurring against the backdrop of bank mergers, branch […]
FTC Sends Nearly $1.9 Million in Refunds to Customers Harmed by Hey Dude’s Violations of the Mail Order Rule (8/6) FTC Action Leads to Permanent Bans for Scammers Behind Sprawling Credit Repair Pyramid Scheme (8/5) FTC Investigation Leads to Lawsuit Against TikTok and ByteDance for Flagrantly Violating Children’s Privacy Law (8/2) FTC Submits Comment to […]
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has released a report on payment processing companies that help school districts process children’s school lunch payments. The CFPB explains: “These private companies process payments made by parents who may have limited or zero payment alternatives. With a captive customer base, these companies can have broad control over fees assessed […]
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed “new rules to make it easier for homeowners to get help when they are struggling to pay their mortgage. The proposal, if finalized, would require mortgage servicers to focus on helping borrowers, not foreclosing, when a homeowner asks for help. The proposed changes would also make it simpler […]
Two new actions by the Federal Trade Commission today: FTC Takes Action Against Online Used Car Dealer Vroom for Deceiving Customers, Failing to Deliver on Time and Provide Required Disclosures FTC Takes Action Against Gig Work Company Arise Virtual Solutions for Deceiving Consumers About Pay in Marketing Its Business Opportunity
The Federal Trade Commission annual Report on Refunds to Consumers tallies the total refunds to consumers in 2023 from FTC enforcement actions at more than $324 million. The report provides a breakdown of the total amount refunded by the FTC nationally, as well as the amount mailed to each state, and also includes a list […]
NPR reports: “Companies like EasyKnock offer to help people in financial trouble by buying their home and renting it back. A new NPR probe found the deals cost some people a lot of money and even their homes.” Listen to the story here.