Search Results: State AGs

New York AG Announces Court Order Requiring Debt Collectors to Pay $27 Million

On September 21, New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced a stipulated court order against three entities and individuals for illegal debt collection practices (collectively, “defendants”), which permanently bans the defendants from the debt collection industry and requires collective payment of almost $27 million in restitution and damages. The court…

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New York AG Sues Nine Student Loan Debt Relief Companies Over Misrepresentations

On September 20, New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced a lawsuit against nine student loan debt relief companies, their financing company, and two individuals with leadership roles in several of the companies (collectively, “defendants”).  The lawsuit alleges that defendants violated the Federal Credit Repair Organization Act, 15 U.S.C. §…

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Pennsylvania AG Sues Five Companies Involved in Alleged Mortgage Modification Scam

On July 26, 2018, the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania announced a lawsuit against five Pennsylvania mortgage foreclosure companies and two company owners for cheating consumers into signing contracts to have their mortgage loans modified—but never delivering the services paid for—in violation of Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer…

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Virginia AG Files Suit Over Pension Loans

On March 7, 2018, the Virginia Attorney General’s Office (“Virginia AG”) filed a complaint against two related loan companies and their owner (the “Defendants”) in Virginia state court.  According to the complaint, the Defendants engage in the practice of purchasing portions of Virginia citizens’ pension payments in exchange for a…

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Virginia Attorney General Files Suit Against Online Lender Alleging Predatory Lending

On May 4, Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring (“VA Attorney General”) announced that its Predatory Lending Unit had filed suit in Virginia state court against a Chicago-based online lender, alleging violations of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, Virginia Code §§ 59.1-196 to 59.1-207 (“VCPA”). The complaint alleges that the lender, one of the largest online…

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Webinar: What's Happening Inside the CFPB and How It Impacts State Enforcement of Consumer Finance Laws

On Tuesday, May 8, 2018, Anthony Alexis, head of Goodwin’s Consumer Financial Services Enforcement Practice and former Assistant Director and Head of the Office of Enforcement at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Kyle Tayman, partner in Goodwin’s Consumer Financial Services Enforcement Practice, kicked off Goodwin’s State of Enforcement Series with the webinar “What’s Happening Inside the CFPB and…

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Illinois Attorney General Alleges Pension Sales Violate State Lending Laws

On April 19, 2018, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office (“Illinois AG”) announced that it had filed a complaint against a Nevada-based company that claimed to “purchase” portions of consumers’ pension plans.  According to the complaint​, these transactions constituted predatory installment loans with excessive interests rates in violation of Illinois law.  The complaint alleges that the…

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Georgia AG Announces $8.5 Million Settlement with Debt Collector

On April 4, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr (“Georgia AG”) announced​ an $8.5 million settlement with a national debt collector, resolving allegations that the company violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act. The Georgia AG had alleged that the company harassed and deceived consumers…

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FTC and NY AG Convict and Settle For Nearly $50 Million With Debt Collectors

On March 22, 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in conjunction with the New York Attorney General (AG), announced that it had entered into settlements with debt collection companies and their operators over allegedly deceptive and unlawful debt collection practices. In a February 2015 complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Western…

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Virginia AG Reaches $243,000 Settlement with Online Payday Lenders and Servicers

On February 23, 2018, the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia (“Virginia AG”) announced that it had entered into a settlement agreement with several affiliated online payday lenders and debt collection companies (the “Defendants”).  According to the Virginia AG, the Defendants, all out-of-state organizations, provided short-term, small-dollar loans to borrowers in Virginia…

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Virginia Attorney General Announces Settlement with Online Lender, Resulting in $2.7 Million in Relief to Virginia Consumers

​On February 7, 2018, Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring (Virginia AG) announced a settlement with a Virginia based online lender for alleged violations of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The lender allegedly offered closed-end, installment loans online and falsely claimed it was licensed in Virginia to do so.  According to the…

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New Mexico AG Announces Investigation Into National Bank for Opening Fake Consumer Accounts

​On November 29, the New Mexico Attorney General (AG) announced that, after a year-long investigation of a national bank, the AG will seek damages on behalf of thousands of New Mexico consumers for whom the bank had created unauthorized banking and credit card accounts.  The AG announced that if he cannot reach a resolution with the bank,…

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FTC and Illinois AG Settle With "Phantom" Debt Collectors For $47 Million

​On November 1, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Illinois Attorney General’s Office (Illinois AG) announced (here and here) that they had reached a settlement to resolve a joint action brought against affiliated Chicago-based debt collectors that allegedly used false and misleading tactics in attempting to collect on payday or other small-dollar loans. The…

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Pennsylvania AG Files Suit Against Nationwide Student Loan Provider and Servicer

​On October 5, 2017, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office (AG) announced that it had filed suit against a federal student loan provider and servicer (and its subsidiary) in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, alleging violations of the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) and Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer…

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MA AG Enters Settlement for Refunds to Thousands of Consumers for Company’s Abusive Debt Collection Practices

On September 22, 2017, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (AG) announced a settlement with a company to resolve claims that the company used abusive and illegal debt collection practices.  The AG’s complaint alleges that the company added hidden, illegal, and unauthorized late fees and charges to consumers’ accounts—including a $25 late…

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