On November 2, 2018, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced a settlement with a New York based credit union, resolving allegations that the credit union had illegally repossessed cars owned by servicemembers on active duty in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, 50 U.S.C. § 3952 (“SCRA”). Under…
On February 22, 2018, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced that it had entered into a settlement with an auto financial services company for alleged violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”), 50 U.S.C. § 3955(f) relating to upfront leases. In its complaint, filed the same day in the United States District…
On September 18, 2017, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced that it had entered into a $907,000 settlement with an auto loan lender and servicer (“Defendant”). In its complaint, filed the same day in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the DOJ alleged that the Defendant had…
On August 17, 2017, the Associated Press announced that Minnesota’s Attorney General is suing two lending firms (with the same Nevada address) for allegedly pressuring veterans and senior citizens into signing over large portions of their monthly pensions to cover small loans. According to the complaint, some interest rates were as…
On March 22, 2017, the New York Attorney General’s Office (“New York AG”) announced that it had entered into a $540,000 settlement with a Virginia retailer and financing company that allegedly used deceptive practices to lure military servicemembers into financing agreements for the purchase of consumer goods. The New York AG alleged that the companies sold servicemembers…
On February 17, 2017, the California Department of Business Oversight (California DBO) announced that it had entered in to a $225 million consent order with a national mortgage servicer following an investigation by a third-party auditor into loans serviced by the company in California between January 1, 2012 and June 30, 2015. The servicer had agreed to the audit…
On January 4, 2017, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office (“Iowa AG”) announced that it had entered into an agreement with a company accused of charging high rates of interest on cash advances from pension accounts. According to the Iowa AG, the company charged up to 200 percent interest for cash…
On August 1, 2016, Colorado Attorney General Cynthia H. Coffman announced a settlement of two lawsuits against lenders for targeting the military and other allegedly illegal lending practices. According to the Attorney General, the settlement comes after charges filed against the lenders in 2015, alleging that the lenders used illegal…
On July 17, 2015, the Attorney General for the State of Colorado (“Colorado AG”) filed a lawsuit in Denver District Court alleging that a retailer and its related companies repeatedly violated Colorado’s consumer lending laws concerning credit extended to military servicemembers. The action is the second lawsuit filed by the Colorado AG in the…
On June 17, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that it had filed a complaint against a national automobile finance company over allegations that the finance company used illegal threats and deceptive tactics to collect debts from military servicemembers. The complaint alleges that the finance company violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act…