Press Releases

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a proposal to rein in the widespread use of clauses in financial services contracts that ban class action lawsuits by groups of consumers who have been harmed. They stopped short of also banning binding mandatory arbitration provisions. CRL Policy Counsel Lisa Stifler offered the following remarks: When consumers are deceived or cheated when...

A new policy brief released today by the Center for Responsible Lending provides a state-by-state snapshot showing predatory payday and car title lenders increasingly moving into installment loans. The lenders are continuing to offer unsafe loans with excessive interest rates, which are carefully designed to trap borrowers in a cycle of debt they cannot escape, and actively seeking to expand...

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) and Department of Education (DOE) issued a new report on student loan servicing that confirms concerns that the student loan servicing system is both hurting borrowers and taxpayers and in need of swift regulatory reform. Maura Dundon is Senior Policy Counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending and an expert on student lending...

Yesterday, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that Fifth Third Bank will pay $21 million back to consumers as a part of two investigations into the institution’s practices. The bank will pay $18 million to African American and Latino consumers for engaging in auto dealer markups a discriminatory lending practice that resulted in borrowers of color paying more...

This week, North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp introduced the Private Education Loan Refinancing Act of 2015, which would provide relief to students burdened with risky or expensive loans. The bill would create incentives for lenders to work with borrowers to refinance and modify loans to help borrowers avoid default. In the mortgage market, loan modification and refinancing has helped many...

Yesterday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized changes to its Qualified Mortgage (QM) rule. The changes, which raise the number of loans a small creditor can re-sell and expand the number of banks that can qualify as a "rural bank," are a response to feedback from lenders. CRL Policy Counsel Yana Miles issued the following statement: The CFPB's Qualified Mortgage...

Despite a number of industry predictions, new data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) report today revealed that Dodd-Frank's mortgage protections and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's related new mortgage regulations did not produce a decrease in mortgage accessibility for homebuyers. The data also show that borrowers of color and families with low-to-moderate incomes continue to be underserved in...

Today, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced new members of its Consumer Advisory Board, including Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) Senior Vice President Chris Kukla. The board brings together external experts, industry representatives, consumers, community leaders and advocates to discuss consumer protection issues, financial products and services, civil rights and underserved communities. Kukla, who leads CRL's auto lending...

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15-October 15, the Center for Responsible Lending will highlight issues this month that disproportionately affect this community. If your outlet is planning or considering coverage of financial services that pose challenges for consumers in general or Latinos in particular, CRL experts in policy, research and advocacy are available for scheduled interviews. View a...

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced enforcement actions against Encore Capital Group and Portfolio Recovery Associates, the two largest debt buyers active in the United States. According to the Bureau, Encore will pay up to $42 million in refunds to affected consumers, a $10 million fine and cease collection on $125 million in debts. Portfolio will pay $19...