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Predatory ‘Rent-a-Bank’ Lending Practices Trigger Calls For Regulation

PYMNTS

Consumer advocates are pushing federal banking regulators to do something about rent-a-banks with notoriously sky-high loan rates that prey on people with bad credit, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Wednesday (March 11). OppLoans, for example, partners with a Utah bank and charges an average of 199 percent, according to its website.

Lending 145
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FDIC Approves Square For Banking License

PYMNTS

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ( FDIC ) gave the green light to an application from the FinTech firm Square to create a de novo industrial bank in Utah, the agency said on Wednesday (March 18). The headquarters will be in Salt Lake City, Utah. Square launched its campaign to open a bank more than two years ago.

FDIC 276
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California Dept. of Business Oversight launches “true lender” investigation of auto title lender’s partnership with Utah bank

CFPB Monitor

Because CCBank is a state-chartered FDIC-insured bank located in Utah, Section 27(a) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act authorizes CCBank to charge interest on its loans, including loans to California residents, at a rate allowed by Utah law regardless of any California law imposing a lower interest rate limit.

Utah 78
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Second Google Lawsuit May Be Filed Next Month By State AGs

PYMNTS

A bipartisan group of states is ready to file an antitrust lawsuit against Google next month, which could precede the more widely-publicized lawsuit from another group of states against the tech giant led by Texas, Reuters writes.

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Capitol Hill Hearing Examines ‘Rent-A-Bank’ Schemes To Sidestep Interest Rate Caps

PYMNTS

5) hearing before the House Financial Services Committee , representatives from several consumer groups said “rent-a-bank” schemes harm consumers through predatory lending. She said the evasion would continue unless regulators step in or there is action by Congress to limit interest rates to no more than 36 percent APR.

Utah 130
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California DFPI announces consent order with auto title loan servicer that was subject of “true Lender” investigation

CFPB Monitor

Last week, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) announced that it had entered into a consent order with Wheels Financial Group, LLC d/b/a LoanMart, a California-based company that markets and services automobile title loans.

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Connecticut AG Launches Antitrust Probe Into Amazon’s eBook Business

PYMNTS

Aside from Amazon, also included in the subpoena are News Corp’s HarperCollins; Lagardere SCA’s Hachette Book Group; Bertelsmann SE’s Penguin Random House; ViacomCBS’s Simon & Schuster; and Macmillan. in September, according to Codex Group data, per the WSJ. Amazon had a 76 percent market share of all eBooks sold in the U.S.

eBook 174