Press Releases
December 20, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today ordered Wells Fargo Bank to pay a $3.7 billion settlement over customer abuses tied to its mortgage and automobile lending practices, and surprise overdraft fees and other incorrect charges to customer bank accounts. The bank’s actions led to billions of dollars in financial harm to its customers and, for thousands of customers, the loss of their vehicles and homes.
Mike Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), issued the following statement:
Wells Fargo is a repeat offender for...
May 18, 2022
Advocates urge auto repair chains, including AAMCO, Meineke, and Midas, to stop offering predatory auto repair loans with interest rates of as high as 189%
WASHINGTON – Today, a coalition of consumer advocacy groups sent letters to major national auto repair chains AAMCO and Precision Tune Auto Care (Icahn Enterprises), Big O Tires and Midas (TBC Corporation), Grease Monkey (FullSpeed Automotive), JiffyLube, and Meineke (Driven Brands) urging their stores and franchisees to stop offering financing through EasyPay Finance and Utah-based TAB Bank, which issue loans at rates up to 189%,...
May 12, 2022
Auto repair chains like Charlotte-based Meineke, and local repair shops nationwide are steering customers to predatory lenders engaged in deceptive and abusive practices, charging up to 189% APR
WASHINGTON – A new, just-released report by the Stop The Debt Trap coalition finds auto repair shops across the country, including Meineke, headquartered in Charlotte, are offering predatory loans through EasyPay Finance and Transportation Alliance Bank (TAB Bank) that promise no interest if paid in 90 days but end up costing as much as 189% – even in states where an interest rate that...
May 11, 2022
National auto repair chains like AAMCO, JiffyLube, Meineke, and Midas, and local repair shops are steering customers to predatory lenders engaged in deceptive and abusive practices, charging up to 189% APR
WASHINGTON – A report released today by the Stop The Debt Trap coalition finds auto repair shops across the country are offering predatory loans through EasyPay Finance and Transportation Alliance Bank (TAB Bank) that promise no interest if paid in 90 days but end up carry annual interest rates up to 189% – even in states where a rate that high is illegal. The report highlights...
May 3, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last Friday, credit unions and advocates registered their strong opposition to a proposal by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) that would allow credit union subsidiaries to engage in predatory lending that is explicitly illegal for federal credit unions. The proposal by NCUA, which regulates credit unions across the country, would do significant harm by permitting high-cost lending to credit union members and consumers. The harm may be especially pronounced for communities of color, which are disproportionately impacted by predatory lending.
The Center for...
August 13, 2018
News arrives just days after CFPB found to be ending supervision of companies to ensure they’re not illegally overcharging military servicemembers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, NPR reported that the White House is advocating for changes that would make it easier for auto dealers to fleece active duty military servicemembers. Specifically, the White House plan would let auto dealers pressure military customers into adding an overpriced gap insurance policy to their car loan. This would be a dramatic change to current rules under the Military Lending Act (MLA), a law that protects active duty...
May 8, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass S.J. Res 57, a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to undo the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) 2013 indirect auto lending guidance, which was put in place to limit the discriminatory impact of dealer interest rate markups in the auto lending market. This is a first-of-its-kind vote, abusing the streamlined procedures of the CRA to try to undo longstanding guidance issued more five years ago. The CRA resolution is expected to be signed by the President.
The effort to eliminate this important...
April 16, 2018
Car lending industry and their allies in Congress have consistently attacked the CFPB auto lending guidance despite clear evidence showing that, for decades, car dealer markups have led to discriminatory lending
Several Civil Rights organizations urge Members to vote “no” on repealing guidance that protects against unlawful discrimination
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow, the U.S. Senate is expected to schedule a vote on Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution S.J. Res 57, which was introduced by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) to undo the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB)...
March 26, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) has introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution, S.J. Res 57, which would undo the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) 2013 indirect auto lending guidance. This important guidance is a key step to limit discriminatory impact of dealer interest rate markups in the auto lending industry. The resolution has 15 Republican cosponsors.
The announcement to eliminate this important consumer protection comes off the heels of a recent investigative report released by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) detailing the...
January 11, 2018
Investigation uncovered that white borrowers with weaker credit profiles received less expensive financing and more favorable treatment than their non-white counterparts who were more financially qualified.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) released an investigative report detailing the ongoing racially discriminatory practices that exist in the auto lending market. In their findings, NFHA uncovered that more than half the time white borrowers with weaker credit profiles received less expensive financing options and more favorable treatment than their non-...