Regulation E

On June 13, 2019, the FDIC released its first edition of Consumer Compliance Supervisory Highlights, the purpose of which is to increase transparency regarding the FDIC’s consumer compliance supervisory activities. The publication provides a high-level overview of the consumer compliance issues identified through approximately 1,200 consumer compliance examinations conducted in 2018 for non-member state-chartered banks and thrifts.

In describing these supervisory highlights, the FDIC noted that 98% of all FDIC-supervised institutions were rated satisfactory or better for consumer compliance. However, the FDIC brought 21 consumer compliance-related formal enforcement actions that included civil money penalties totaling approximately $3.5 million. The institutions subject to these formal enforcement actions paid approximately $18.1 million in required restitution and $4 million in voluntary restitution. The most frequently cited violations in 2018 included the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z), the Truth in Savings Act (Regulation DD), Electronic Funds Transfer (Regulation E), the Flood Disaster Protection Act, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act/Regulation B.

In the publication, the FDIC discusses a number of areas in which it has found violations, including overdraft programs (unfair and deceptive acts or practices), mortgage loan referral payments to third parties (RESPA), electronic fund transfers (Regulation E), skip-a-payment loan programs (unfair or deceptive acts or practices), and finance charges and annual percentage rate (“APR”) calculations (Regulation Z). These findings are described below. In addition, the publication includes summaries of actions taken to mitigate the risks of violations.
Continue Reading FDIC Releases First Edition of Consumer Compliance Supervisory Highlights

On March 12, 2019, the CFPB released the 18th edition of its Supervisory Highlights report. The report covers supervision activities completed between June 2018 and November 2018 and discusses supervisory observations related to automobile loan servicing, mortgage servicing, remittances, and deposits. The report also summarizes the CFPB’s previously announced public enforcement actions and guidance during the covered period.

The 18th edition of Supervisory Highlights is the first report issued under Director Kathy Kraninger’s leadership and the second report to cover supervision activities completed under the direction of former Acting Director Mick Mulvaney. Like the prior Supervisory Highlights report issued under former Acting Director Mick Mulvaney, the report includes introductory language that “institutions are subject only to the requirements of relevant laws and regulations” and “[a] conclusion that a legal violation exists on the facts and circumstances described here may not lead to such a finding under different circumstances.” Also like the prior report, it does not specify the dollar amounts of civil money penalties and consumer remediation obtained during the covered period.

The Bureau’s supervisory observations related to automobile loan servicing, mortgage servicing, remittances, and deposits—all frequent areas of focus in Supervisory Highlights reports—are discussed below.…

Continue Reading CFPB Issues 18th Edition of Supervisory Highlights

On September 8, 2017, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota entered an order granting in part and denying in part a motion to dismiss claims brought by the CFPB against TCF National Bank (“TCF”) for alleged wrongdoing in connection with offering overdraft services.

Brought in January, the case centered on allegations that…

On June 15, 2017, the CFPB announced that it is proposing for public comment certain modifications to its prepaid rule. The rule, which was issued in final form in October 2016, limits consumers’ losses for lost and stolen prepaid cards, requires financial institutions to investigate errors, and includes enhanced disclosure provisions.

The final rule unexpectedly granted Regulation E error resolution rights to consumers holding unregistered prepaid accounts, a provision that was not part of the CFPB’s original proposal. Financial institutions criticized this aspect of the final rule, arguing that providing error resolution rights to holders of unregistered accounts would invite and open new avenues for fraud. Financial institutions also argued that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to investigate alleged errors if they have little to no information about the purchasing customer. As a result, financial institutions have claimed that, if the CFPB retains error resolution rights for unregistered prepaid accounts, they would no longer provide immediate access to funds on such accounts.

To address these concerns, the current proposal would require consumers to register their prepaid accounts to qualify for Regulation E error resolution rights, including the right to recoup funds for lost or stolen cards. Under the CFPB’s proposal, however, Regulation E error resolution rights would apply to registered accounts even if the card was lost or stolen before the consumer completed the registration process.…

Continue Reading CFPB Proposes Additional Changes to the Prepaid Rule