On September 9, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada granted summary judgment in favor of a debt collector in a case involving alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) based on phone calls the plaintiff received related to her medical debt.
Corporate Finance
FinCEN Finalizes Rule Subjecting Investment Advisers to AML/CFT Regulations
Following up on its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPR”), which we discussed back in March, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) released on August 28th a final rule extending Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements to certain investment advisers (Final Rule).
The Final Rule adds “investment adviser” to the definition of “financial institution”…
Why Retailers and Merchants Should Pay Attention to the CFPB
In this episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast, Chris Willis and Jesse Silverman delve into the recent activities of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that pose significant risks to retailers and merchants. They discuss various proposed rules, including those related to buy now, pay later, open banking, data brokers, and digital wallets, and how these…
U.S. Senator Rounds Introduces Legislation Aimed at Fostering AI Innovation in the Financial Services Industry
On August 27, U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced the “Unleashing AI Innovation in Financial Services Act” (S. 4951), a bill aimed at fostering artificial intelligence (AI) innovation within the financial services industry. According to his press release, this legislation is part of a broader set of five bipartisan AI bills that Senator Rounds…
Combatting Check Fraud
Over the last several months, banks all across Iowa have dealt with an increasing volume of fraudulent checks. The typical situation involves fraudsters intercepting a business customer’s check to a vendor. The fraudster then either (1) creates a counterfeit check, (2) alters the check’s payee, or (3) fraudulently endorses the check. The fraudster then deposits…
Where the F(BO) Is the Money? Part 1 – Synapse’s Clarion Call for Standards
This is the first of three articles focused on a key question: as bank-fintech partnerships continue to play a vital role in driving financial services, how does the industry make this system safer and better?
Fintechs and their partner banks are on edge. Regulators are concerned. But as counselors to a wide range of banks…
FinCEN Issues Final BSA Reporting Requirements for Residential Real Estate Deals
On August 29, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Center (“FinCEN”) published Anti-Money Laundering Regulations for Residential Real Estate Transfers (“Final Rule”) regarding residential real estate. The Federal Register publication is 37 pages long. We have created a separate document which sets forth only the provisions of the Final Rule, at 31 C.F.R. § 1031.320, here.…
FTC CARS Rule Litigation: Fifth Circuit Sets Oral Argument
On October 9, 2024, at 4 p.m. CT, the Fifth Circuit will hear oral arguments in the ongoing litigation challenging the FTC’s Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Rule. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the Texas Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) have raised significant procedural and data-based objections to the rule, which purportedly aims to…
SEC Charges Broker-Dealer and Two Affiliated Investment Advisers With Violating Whistleblower Protection Rule
On September 4, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an order against three investment adviser firms for violating the whistleblower protections of Rule 21F-17(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This rule prohibits any person from taking action to impede an individual from communicating directly with the SEC about possible securities law violations,…
Seventh Circuit Provides “How To” Successfully Present Consumer Arbitration Agreements
A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirming a decision compelling arbitration provides a “how to” guideline for using online terms and conditions to form a binding agreement.…