CRL Supports CFPB Proposal to Limit Data Brokers from Selling Personal Information

Washington, DC – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proposed a rule to rein in data brokers that sell Americans' sensitive personal and financial information. The proposed rule would limit the sale of personal identifiers like Social Security and phone numbers collected by certain companies and make sure that financial data, such as a person's income, is only shared...

CRL Commends Hardship Rule Protecting Millions of Vulnerable Borrowers

Washington, D.C.— The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) commended the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed rule on student debt relief based on hardship in a comment letter submitted to Secretary Cardona yesterday evening. The rule aims to provide targeted support to millions of vulnerable Americans who are at the greatest risk of default, including communities of color, older borrowers and...

CRL Applauds FHA's Strong Financial Condition, Urges Agency to Do More to Help Low-Wealth Home Buyers

WASHINGTON, DC - The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) last week released its annual report, showing that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has maintained the mutual mortgage insurance fund in a strong financial condition and is doing a good job of serving low-wealth, low-income home buyers. Michael Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) released the...

Consumer Advocates Urge Regulators to End Predatory Bank-Fintech Partnerships

Washington, DC— The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), and the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC) submitted comments yesterday urging bank regulators to end bank-fintech partnerships that engage in predatory lending, evade the law, and pose a high risk of unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices and violations of consumer protection laws. Some banks help fintechs to...

Department of Education Unveils Proposed Rule to Deliver Student Loan Relief for Millions of Borrowers Facing Hardship

Washington, DC— The Department of Education announced a long-anticipated proposal aimed at providing critical debt relief to millions of federal student loan borrowers facing financial hardship last Friday. The proposal introduces two key pathways for relief, a one-time automatic cancellation for borrowers at high risk of default and an application-based process with a holistic review of borrowers’ economic circumstances. If...

New Research Report “A Loan Shark in Your Pocket: The Perils of Earned Wage Advance”

WASHINGTON, DC – The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) today released “ A Loan Shark in Your Pocket: The Perils of Earned Wage Advance,” a report on the fast-growing market for cash advance apps and how these loans harm consumers. The report features a dataset of transactions showing rates of reborrowing, loan stacking, and overdraft fees experienced by people borrowing...

CRL and NCLC Urge Federal Appellate Court to Correct Reading of Federal Statute Permitting States to Reclaim Usury Authority

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a case centered around a federal law that was interpreted by a court for the first time, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) and the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) submitted an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to correct the lower court’s misinterpretation of a Colorado law, and the...

CRL Welcomes LaShawn Warren to Its Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, DC – Martin Eakes, chief executive officer of the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), today announced that LaShawn Warren has joined the board of directors of the nonprofit, nonpartisan research and policy advocacy organization. CRL works to promote financial fairness and economic opportunity for all, end predatory lending, and close the racial wealth gap. Ms. Warren is the chief...

After Disney Wielded its Terms of Use to Dismiss Customer’s Lawsuit, Groups Call on Congress to Pass FAIR Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In light of the recent news of the Walt Disney Company’s attempted use of its terms and conditions to deny the legal rights of its patrons harmed at a restaurant on its premises, public interest organizations today called on the U.S. House and Senate Judiciary Committees to take steps to pass the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act...

CFPB Fines Navient $120 Million for Defrauding Student Borrowers, Bans Servicer from Federal Student Loans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed today a proposed order against student loan servicer Navient for decades of defrauding borrowers. According to an announcement made by the CFPB, Navient would have to pay a $20 million penalty and provide $100 million in redress for affected consumers. The CFPB’s order also permanently bans Navient from most federal...