Category Archives: Uncategorized

Payday lending and disparate effects on communities of color

Following up on Deepak's post earlier this week flagging John Oliver's hilarious takedown of the payday lending industry, check out this post from our friends at Public Justice, discussing the impact of payday lending on minority communities (which are disproportionately targeted by these businesses) and the pernicious business model that relies on trapping borrowers in […]

CFPB Fines Bait-and-Switch Mortgage Scheme $19M

…reports the National Law Journal, here (subscription required). In a consent order (available here), the CFPB found that Amerisave Mortgage Corporation violated numerous federal consumer protection and lending-related laws by luring borrowers to its services with inaccurate rates then overcharging them and misleading them into paying fees they did not need to pay. Of the […]

New York Prosecution Against Payday Lending Syndicate

The Manhattan District Attorney has brought criminal charges against a payday lending syndicate, alleging that an intricate corporate structure was established to to make payday loans with interest rates in violation of the state's usury cap and to shield its principals from detection by law enforcement. Those charged include the owner, the chief operating officer, and […]

The CFPB warns consumers about bitcoin and other virtual currencies

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has just issued this consumer advisory about the risks of bitcoin and other virtual currencies. The agency has also begun accepting consumer complaints on the topic. Today’s advisory warns that virtual currencies carry significant risks, including: ·      Exchange rates are volatile and costs unclear: The exchange rate of Bitcoins to U.S. […]

CFPB probing financial relationships between colleges and sellers of credit cards and other financial products

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is demanding information about what it terms "secret contracts" between banks and colleges under which the banks pay the colleges to steer students to their products, particularly credit cards. Here is an excerpt of an article on the topic by the CFPB's Rohit Chopra: If you’re a student preparing to […]