On November 5, 2024, the FTC took action against online cash advance app Dave for allegedly using misleading marketing to deceive consumers about the amount of its cash advances, charging consumers undisclosed fees, and charging so-called “tips” to consumers without their consent. Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said that Dave lured in consumers living paycheck-to-paycheck with false claims of big-dollar advances, then reached into their pockets to give itself a so-called ‘tip’.

On November 4, 2024, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a final rule revising the National Flood Insurance Program’s  (NFIP) regulations to offer NFIP policyholders the option of paying their annual flood insurance premium in monthly installments. The NFIP is a voluntary program in which interested persons can purchase flood insurance for their property if it is located in a community that participates in the NFIP by adopting and enforcing a set of minimum floodplain management requirements to reduce future flood damages.

On November 1, 2024, the CFPB filed a proposed order to resolve its case against Townstone Financial for discriminatory lending practices and redlining African American neighborhoods in Chicago. The proposed order would prohibit Townstone from taking any actions that violate the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and require the company to pay a $105,000 penalty to the CFPB’s victims relief fund. 

On October 30, 2024, FinCEN issued a press release to inform U.S. financial institutions that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental body that establishes international standards to combat money laundering, counter the financing of terrorism, and combat weapons of mass destruction proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF), has issued public statements updating its lists of jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT/CPF deficiencies following its plenary meeting last month. U.S. financial institutions should consider the FATF’s stance toward these jurisdictions when reviewing their obligations and risk-based policies, procedures, and practices.

VIDEO: Reopening A Closed Deposit Account

In this Halloween special Compliance Clip (video), Adam discusses a spooky topic: raising an account from the dead. Well, it’s not really creepy in the Halloween sense, but reopening a closed deposit account is a risky practice, and Adam discusses why, citing a recent enforcement action.

On October 28, 2024, the FHFA announced updates to several Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac policies that are intended to enhance efficiencies and promote cost savings in the single-family mortgage market. FHFA Director Sandra Thompson stated that the actions are intended to better ensure the Enterprises are reliable sources of liquidity for lenders of all sizes and types, which in turn will promote access to sustainable credit for consumers.