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Advocates Commend CFPB’s Intent to Address Debt Complaints; Federal Regulators Will Create Proposed Rules to Curb Predatory Debt Collection Tactics

March 3, 2014

WASHINGTON – Year after year, one of the top consumer complaints to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is problems with debt collection. Complaints are skyrocketing: from 13,950 in 2000 to 199,721 in 2012 – more than a 900% increase in just over a decade. In January 2014 alone, consumers registered about 3000 complaints regarding debt…

CFPB to Hold Auto Lenders Accountable for Discrimination in Auto Lending

March 6, 2013

Yesterday the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced it would hold banks and other lenders liable for any auto loans in their portfolio that are discriminatory. Consumer advocates were encouraged by the announcement and hope it is the first step toward eliminating unfair interest-rate markups by auto dealers. Dealers should not be allowed to sell…

NCLC Reports: Debt Collection and Repossessions Edition

September 1, 2009

Special Issue on New Rule Preventing Bank Freezes of Exempt Federal Benefits.

Credit Card Protections Take Effect Feb. 22 But Loopholes and Abuses Persist

February 17, 2010

Financial Watchdog Needed; Advice to Consumers On Monday, February 22, the long-awaited – and long-needed – protections of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act go into effect. The Credit CARD Act, passed in May of last year, puts an end to some of the worst abuses by credit card companies. Even after…

Debt Collection Abuses Widespread

July 15, 2010

BOSTON – Debt companies pursuing consumers with a small army of collectors have swamped small claims courts with lawsuits and left a trail of abuses that, in 2009, led consumers to file more than 120,000 complaints with federal regulators. “The Debt Machine: How the Collection Industry Hounds Consumers and Overwhelms Courts,” released today by the…

Scorecard Shows Consumers Pay Steep Rates for Small Loans: Financial Reform Should Include a Strong Consumer Financial Protection Agency

May 13, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Many states are failing to provide adequate protections for consumers against extremely expensive credit according to a new report by the National Consumer Law Center, Consumer Federation of America, and Consumers Union. The Scorecard updates a 2008 report and grades states on how well they protect consumers from excessive interest charges on…

NCLC Publishes 50-State Report on Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices Statutes

February 5, 2009

BOSTON, Mass. – Serious gaps and weaknesses have compromised consumer protection laws in most of the 50 states, and recent court rulings have opened the door to predators and abuses in billions of everyday transactions. So says a new report by the non-profit National Consumer Law Center: “Consumer Protection in the States: A 50-State Report…