{"id":125,"date":"2018-06-26T14:06:15","date_gmt":"2018-06-26T21:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/economicintegrity.org\/?page_id=125"},"modified":"2026-08-10T08:28:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T15:28:23","slug":"consumer-protection","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/economicintegrity.org\/?page_id=125","title":{"rendered":"Consumer Protection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consumer Protection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Middle and low-income consumers must navigate myriad, potentially dangerous financial products and services designed to trap them in an unending cycle of debt. Corporations and industries are constantly evolving to circumvent common sense state and federal regulations enacted to prevent unfair, deceptive and unconscionable practices such as triple-digit small loans (payday loans, title loans).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Banks, mortgage lenders, insurance companies, cryptocurrency and the financial technology era all pose additional risks and challenges for unsophisticated or desperate consumers. As the economic divide continues to widen, so do the types of financial products and services targeted specifically to financially disadvantaged individuals and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People of color\u2014particularly Black people\u2014have been treated unfairly and unequally for generations in the area of personal finance and beyond. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanprogress.org\/issues\/race\/reports\/2019\/08\/07\/472617\/systemic-inequality-displacement-exclusion-segregation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Centuries of racism have denied Blacks, Native Americans and many immigrants an equal opportunity to build a solid financial foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Media Headlines<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/economicintegrity.org\/?cat=4\"><i class=\"fas fa-newspaper\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> Predatory Lending<\/a><br><strong>Research Report<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/economicintegrity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2019-CEI-Brief-Update-Car-Title-Loan-Survey-8-4-19.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><i class=\"fas fa-file-pdf\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> Title Lending 2019<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The harm caused by Car Title Lending\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/695066550?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Impact of Race<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumer-action.org\/downloads\/english\/CANews-Race_and_Personal_Finances_Fall_2020.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><i class=\"fas fa-file-pdf\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> Economic Inequities: the impact of systematic racism on your finances<\/a> | Consumer Action, Fall 2020<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Consumer Action<\/strong> also maintains a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumer-action.org\/spanish\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Library of Publications in Spanish<\/a> (en Espa\u00f1ol).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Arizonans for Responsible Lending<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Center for Economic Integrity maintains a <a href=\"https:\/\/nomoreloansharksaz.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">consumer coalition website<\/a> with regularly updated information on issues such as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/Earned-Wage-Advance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Earned Wage Advance<\/a><\/strong> (i.e. worker payday loans), <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/Title-Lending\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Car Title Lending<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/Rent-A-Bank\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rent-A-Bank Lending<\/a><\/strong>; blog posts with links to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/News\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">articles in the media<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/Letters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Letters sent<\/a>; and updates on bills at the state legislature as they progress \u2013 see below. In recent years we have seen the push for deregulation continuing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maintain Arizona\u2019s Small Loan Law<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Support Arizona\u2019s 36% or LESS interest rate cap for all small loans<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Require Auto Title Lending to comply with 36% APR limits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resist special interests and corporate efforts to obtain special exemptions to the current law<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Monitor and report corporate actions intended to circumvent the law<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Encourage innovative approaches to meet consumer\u2019s cash flow &amp; savings needs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Research current and emerging trends within the informal economy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2020 Polling Results<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/economicintegrity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/2020-02-26-CRL-CEI-Polling-on-AZ-Rate-Cap.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><i class=\"fas fa-file-pdf\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> Arizona Voters Overwhelmingly Support 36% Rate Cap<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/2026-Legislature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Update on 2026<\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Fifty-seventh Arizona State Legislature, Second Regular Session<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/2025-Legislature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Update on 2025<\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Fifty-seventh Arizona State Legislature, First Regular Session<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/2024-Legislature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Update on 2024<\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Fifty-sixth Arizona State Legislature, Second Regular Session<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/2023-Legislature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Update on 2023<\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Fifty-sixth Arizona State Legislature, First Regular Session<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/2022-Legislature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Update on 2022<\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Fifty-fifth Arizona State Legislature, Second Regular Session<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/2021-Legislature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Update on 2021<\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Fifty-fifth Arizona State Legislature, First Regular Session<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/2020-Legislature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Update on 2020<\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Fifty-fourth Arizona State Legislature, Second Regular Session<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomoreloansharksaz.org\/2019-Legislature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Update on 2019<\/a> \u2013 <\/strong>Fifty-fourth Arizona State Legislature, First Regular Session<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Update on 2018 \u2013 Fifty-third Arizona State Legislature<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Arizonans\u2019 for Responsible Lending coalition was extremely active during the 2017-18 state legislative session. The public policy landscape with regards to consumer issues has changed drastically since the most recent presidential election. Hard-won consumer protections to reign in abusive and deceptive payday and title lending practices have regressed with new federal appointees to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerfinance.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau<\/a>. Lobbyists for the predatory lending industries have been emboldened by the changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the state level, there has been a shift from consumer protections to more industry friendly deregulation. ARL was able to stop several deregulation bills from obtaining a hearing but were unsuccessful for the first time since 2008, in stopping a potentially devastating new law, \u201cArizona Regulatory Sandbox Program\u201d (RSP) created by passage of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azleg.gov\/legtext\/53leg\/2R\/bills\/hb2434h.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HB 2434<\/a> this year. The RSP authorizes financial services companies subject to licensing and supervision to \u201ctest\u201d innovative products, services, and business methods for two years without a license or regulatory supervision or coverage by all consumer protection laws in a program overseen by the Office of Attorney General.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ARL coalition sent <a href=\"https:\/\/economicintegrity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/2018-07-24-AG-Letter-Re-AZ-Regulatory-Sandbox-Implementation.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a letter to the AZ Attorney General<\/a> outlining concerns and offering up suggestions to better protect consumers prior to the law going into effect. Predatory payday lending remains illegal in Arizona thanks to the hard work of this coalition. Predatory auto title and other high-cost installment lending continue to plague vulnerable consumers in spite of several bills that were introduced last session to limit these predatory lending practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What States Can Do to Help Consumers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Debt Collection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the Federal Trade Commission has noted [1], the current system of debt collection fails to provide adequate protection for consumers, and significant reforms are necessary to ensure that the system is fair and efficient. The FTC has called on states to pass laws that better protect consumers in the debt collection process, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>adopting measures to make it more likely that consumers receive adequate notice so that they will defend themselves in litigation;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>requiring collectors to include more information about the debt in their complaints; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>taking steps to address lawsuits on time-barred debts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Specific State Solutions<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nclc.org\/images\/pdf\/debt_collection\/fact-sheets\/fact-sheet-debt-collection-state-reform.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><i class=\"fas fa-file-pdf\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> NCLC fact sheet<\/a><br><strong>Family Financial Protection Act<\/strong><br><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nclc.org\/images\/pdf\/debt_collection\/model_family_financial_protection_act.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><i class=\"fas fa-file-pdf\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> Model Act for States<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Model Act (the \u201cFamily Financial Protection Act\u201d) includes several provisions in response to that call. In some states, many of these provisions can be adopted by the state supreme court or court system. In other states, these provisions will need to be enacted by the legislature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every state has a set of exemption laws, intended to prevent creditors from pushing debtors and their families into destitution. Exemption laws preserve basic items of property from seizure by creditors, so that debtors can to continue to work productively and support themselves and their families. These laws are intended to protect at least subsistence wages and essential property from seizure by creditors. A report by the NCLC [2,3] surveys the exemption laws of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Despite the importance of state exemption laws, this report finds that <em>not one<\/em> state meets five basic standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">[1]<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/os\/2010\/07\/debtcollectionreport.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Repairing a Broken System: Protecting Consumers in Debt Collection Litigation and Arbitration<\/a> (FTC, July 2010)<br>[2]<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nclc.org\/issues\/report-still-no-fresh-start.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> No Fresh Start in 2019: How States Still Let Debt Collectors Push Families into Poverty<\/a> (NCLC, November 2019)<br>[3]<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nclc.org\/images\/pdf\/pr-reports\/report-no-fresh-start.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> No Fresh Start: How States Let Debt Collectors Push Families Into Poverty<\/a> (NCLC, October 2013)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>CFPB Comment Period Closed Oct 7th, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thousands of people from across the country-veterans, seniors, single parents, and families struggling to make ends meet-shared their personal stories of what it\u2019s like living in a never-ending debt trap and facing serious financial harm, such as losing cars and being unable to pay rent and other essential living expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cCFPB has engaged in a long and thorough process to research these industries and evaluate potential rulemaking approaches. Now more than ever they should put forth a strong rule that is free of loopholes and can stop the debt trap and provide a level playing field for lenders across the board.\u201d<\/em>  \u2014 Mike Calhoun<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a federal regulatory agency whose primary responsibility is to make sure banks, lenders and other financial institutions treat YOU the consumer fairly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The CFPB implements and enforces federal consumer financial laws to ensure that all consumers have access to markets for consumer financial products and services that are fair, transparent, and competitive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Center for Economic Integrity<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/economicintegrity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/2016-09-27_cfpb_rules_cei_cfa_comment_final_9_26_16.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><i class=\"fas fa-file-pdf\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> CEI Comment Letter Submitted to the CFPB Sep 27, 2016<\/a><br><strong>Center for Responsible Lending<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/economicintegrity.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/2016-06-16_crl_initial_reaction_cfpb_payday_proposedrule_jun2016.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><i class=\"fas fa-file-pdf\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i> Initial analysis of the CFPB rule on payday and auto title lending<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Consumer Protection Middle and low-income consumers must navigate myriad, potentially dangerous financial products and services designed to trap them in an unending cycle of debt. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":106,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-125","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Consumer Protection - Southwest Center for Economic Integrity<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/economicintegrity.org\/?page_id=125\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Consumer Protection - Southwest Center for Economic Integrity\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Consumer Protection Middle and low-income consumers must navigate myriad, potentially dangerous financial products and services designed to trap them in an unending cycle of debt. 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