The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today took separate actions against a company and an individual that resold sensitive personal data to lenders and debt collectors, allegedly exposing millions of consumers to harassment and deceit.
In a complaint filed in federal court, the CFPB alleged that T3Leads bought and sold personal information from payday and installment loan applications without properly vetting buyers and sellers. It also alleges that T3Leads’ owners unlawfully aided the company’s violations. In addition to monetary relief, the CFPB seeks to require T3Leads to clean up its business practices.
In a separate matter, the CFPB took action against Eric V. Sancho, who operated a company called Lead Publisher that sold leads to fraudulent debt collectors without regard for how they would use the data. The CFPB ordered Sancho to disgorge $21,151 he made illegally and banned him from the financial products and consumer leads industries.
The CFPB's press release is here.