Topics In This Issue

• InfoBytes Blog
• Federal Issues
• State Issues
• Courts
• Firm News
• Mortgages
• Banking

• Consumer Finance
• Litigation
• E-Commerce
• Privacy/Data Security
• Criminal Enforcement

Excerpt from InfoBytes Blog

Get timely financial services news at our new InfoBytes Blog!

Have you had a chance to check out our new InfoBytes Blog? In addition to regular "bytes," the blog will contain additional real-time firm content and commentary on news and developments affecting financial services providers and other financial system participants.

Click here to visit the blog and sign up to receive RSS feeds. Of course, we will continue to publish our weekly InfoBytes newsletter. We hope that you will find this new resource helpful and welcome any feedback, comments, or suggestions you might have on how we can do a better job in sharing critical developments of interest. www.infobytesblog.com

Excerpt from Federal Issues

CFPB Turns Attention to Bank Overdraft Practices. On February 22, the CFPB launched an inquiry into overdraft practices with a coordinated release of information. The official announcement came during a CFPB Roundtable discussion at Hunter College in New York City. At that event, CFPB Director Richard Cordray drew similarities between overdraft practices and payday lending, which was the subject of a prior CFPB field event. Mr. Cordray expressed his "concern[] that overdraft practices employed by some banks unnecessarily increase consumer costs by making it difficult to anticipate and avoid fees." He also identified some practices the CFPB views as problematic, including those related to (i) ordering of transactions, (ii) missing or confusing information, and (iii) misleading marketing. To address those and other practices, the CFPB issued a request for information from consumers, third party processors, and financial institutions, regarding overdraft programs and their costs, benefits and risks to consumers. The CFPB also released and is seeking comment on a prototype "penalty fee box" that would appear on checking account statements to highlight overdraft activity and fees. Finally, the CFPB is collecting data from several large banks to inform a study of the effects of prior federal regulations and guidance regarding overdraft fees. While conducting these initiatives, Director Cordray promised to employ the CFPB's supervisory and enforcement authorities to take action against financial institutions engaged in deceptive marketing related to overdrafts.

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