Press Release Archive

2016

August

11

• New rules limit debt collection robocalls by Feds. WASHINGTON, DC—Consumer advocates applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its rules and report placing limits on the the 2015 Budget Bill that allows

09

• Consumer Action partners with eConsumerServices to support consumer financial literacy. Dispute resolution company eConsumerServices donates resources and information to Consumer Action in order to educate cardholders on broader financial topics.

July

29

• Consumers get the last word on complaints (Consumer Action applauds CFPB’s latest move to improve its complaint system). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is adding a five star system ratings scale to its complaint process to give consumers an efficient way to

28

• CFPB proposes to strengthen debt collection rules (Consumer Action says proposal is step in right direction). July 28, 2016—The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today released its proposed rules to limit debt collection abuses by third-party debt collectors and others covered by

• Veterans Financial Coalition teaches CBOs to help vets in San Diego (Training offers personal finance pointers to groups serving military families).   Consumer Action and Visa Inc. team up for Veterans Financial Coalition training programs San Diego, CA – Veterans Financial Coalition partners Consumer Action and

21

• DOJ sues to block Anthem-Cigna, Aetna-Humana health insurance mergers. Consumer Action applauds the Department of Justice's decision to sue to block the Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana health insurance mergers, which it believes are anticompetitive and would greatly harm consumers.

• CFPB celebrates its fifth anniversary. Consumer Action's statement on the CFPB after five years

June

03

• Payday, car title loan rule could save U.S. consumers millions (Rule proposes regulating predatory lending that traps consumers in a cycle of debt ). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) unveils new proposed rule to rein in payday and car title lending.

May

26

• Fair treatment for homeowners with limited English proficiency. Consumer Action, Americans for Financial Reform and coalition partners urge regulators, in a newly released paper, to make it easier for limited English proficiency (LEP)

18

• Congress debates consumers' right to a fair trial (Congress asks: Should consumers be able to hold corporations accountable when they break the law?). WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit will hold a hearing to consider whether the

10

• FCC proposes to protect consumers from robocalls by federal debt collectors. Advocates applaud rules proposed by the Federal Communications Commission to protect consumers (mainly student loan borrowers and taxpayers pursued by private collectors) from robocalls and texts sent by debt collectors of federal debt.

05

• Financial firms can’t stop you from joining class action lawsuits (Consumers will be able to join together to hold corporations accountable when they break the law). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule would limit the financial industry’s use of forced arbitration—an abusive practice in which corporations bury “ripoff clauses” in the fine print of take- it-or-leave-it contracts to block consumers from challenging predatory practices such as hidden fees, fraud and other illegal behavior.

April

15

• President supports FCC proposal to unlock pay-TV set-top boxes. Consumer Action's statement on President Barack Obama's support for support for the Federal Communications Commission's proposal to open up pay TV set-top boxes to competition from new apps and devices.

07

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, we've got your back! (Advocates stand with the CFPB as Senate Banking Committee prepares to grill Bureau's director). Consumer advocates rally behind Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray as he delivers the Bureau's Semi-Annual Report to the Senate Banking Committee. Consumer Action and its allies fear a reprise of the March 16 House Financial Services Committee hearing, which turned ugly as CFPB foes grilled Cordray about the agency.

06

• DOL fiduciary rule will protect retirement investors from 'conflicted advice' (Statement by Consumer Action on final fiduciary rule released today). Consumer Action applauds the Department of Labor for issuing a final conflict of interest rule, requiring retirement advisers to abide by a “fiduciary” standard, i.e. putting their clients’ best interests first.

01

• The FCC deserves praise for Lifeline modernization proposal. Statement of Ken McEldowney executive director of Consumer Action, a San Francisco- and Washington, DC-based national consumer advocacy and education membership organization on FCC Vote

February

18

• Consumer Action applauds FCC set top box plan. Statement of Consumer Action on the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Expand Consumers’ Video Navigation Choices February 19, 2016—Consumer Action, a

January

20

• Poll shows strong support for regulation of paid tax preparers. A coalition of consumer and community organizations and advocates draws attention to the findings of a national poll that demonstrates broad public support for new consumer protections to prevent errors and fraud during the tax preparation process.

• Groups call for safe data practices, enforcement by FCC. WASHINGTON, DC—Today, 59 U.S. consumer advocacy, privacy and digital rights organizations submitted a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler calling for

13

• Consumer Action urges reversal of e-delivery proposal for shareholder reports. Consumer Action submitted comments urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to rescind proposed Rule 30e-3, which would allow mutual funds to discontinue the mailing of shareholder reports and other important investment information to investors.

07

• Consumer Action and CreditBridge Collaboration: Credit Scores in the U.S. (A guide for students, immigrants and savvy consumers). Consumer Action has partnered with CreditBridge, a New York-based financial technology company, to release a fact sheet about credit in the U.S. for the benefit of newcomers, visitors and students.

• Consumer Action asks FCC not to narrow criteria for Lifeline phone service. Consumer Action has filed a petition with 2,585 signatures to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in opposition to proposals to sharply reduce the ranks of low-income Americans who would be eligible for the Lifeline telephone subsidy.

2015

December

16

• Correcting and protecting your credit record (Consumer Action’s newsletter releases credit reporting updates, tips for consumers). In its latest issue of Consumer Action News (bit.ly/credit_reports_issue), Consumer Action explains the only way to prevent new account fraud, and updates consumers on improvements in reporting medical debt and resolving credit report errors.

November

18

• How to communicate with debt collectors (Consumer Action publishes free consumer guide to responding to legitimate debt collectors, avoiding scams). Consumer Action and debt collection industry association Consumer Relations Consortium partner to create free guide to help consumers determine whether a collection call is legitimate and what steps to take next.

12

• Consumer Action joins coalition to keep health care competitive. A group of consumer advocates, employers and unions launched the Coalition to Preserve Patient Choice (CPPC), which aims to educate policymakers and the public on the importance of keeping health care competition.