Category Archives: Uncategorized

CFPB sues over illegal debt-relief scheme that took $67 million from 21,000 consumers

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Monday obtained a preliminary injunction against World Law Group and its senior leaders for running a debt-relief scheme that the CFPB alleged charged consumers exorbitant, illegal upfront fees. The CFPB alleges the debt-relief scheme falsely promised consumers a team of attorneys to help negotiate debt settlements with creditors, failed […]

White House tweaks federal financial aid rules

The Hill reports: The Obama administration on Monday announced a tweak to the federal financial aid program that one official said would help “literally hundreds of thousands” of students each year. Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan will formally announce the change at a town hall meeting in Iowa, where they will meet with high […]

FDA issues regulation to bolster food safety

The Food and Drug Administration has released rules that will require U.S. food manufacturers to make detailed plans to identify and prevent possible contamination risks in food production facilities. As the Washington Post reports, "[t]he new regulations, which will apply to the production of both human and animal foods, mark the first step in a broader effort […]

Why the [Federally Mandated] Nutrition Label Fails to Inform Consumers

That's the title of this article by Sherzod Abdukadirov. Here is the abstract: As it becomes clear that the Nutrition Facts panel (NFP) and other information disclosure policies have failed to improve consumers’ dietary choices, many health advocates have declared information-based policies ineffective and instead advocate measures that would manipulate consumers’ choices. In contrast, this […]

Article on deficiencies in dietary supplement regulation

Law professor Diana Sax has written Dietary Supplements Are Not All Safe and Not All Food: How the Low Cost of Dietary Supplements Preys on the Consumer. Here is the abstract: Dietary supplements are regulated as food, even though the safety and efficacy of some supplements are unknown. These products are often promoted as ‘natural’. […]

Can Grocery Carts Steer Consumers To Healthier Purchases?

…is the title of an NPR report this morning discussing what happens what experimenters taped off a portion of consumers' grocery carts and labeled it "fruits and vegetables." The results tell us as much about marketing and the power of suggestion as they do about how health-conscious grocery stores might try to nudge their consumers. […]

CFPB acts against deceptive tactics by large debt buyers

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced yesterday: Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took action against the nation’s two largest debt buyers and collectors for using deceptive tactics to collect bad debts. The Bureau found that Encore Capital Group and Portfolio Recovery Associates bought debts that were potentially inaccurate, lacking documentation, or unenforceable. Without […]