Consumer Protection
The clean-energy loan hiding in your utility bill
Who wouldn't want to save money on their energy bill with no money upfront? It's often not quite what it seems though.
Money
Cash, credit or in-between, you need currency of some kind to make things happen.
Consumer Protection
What changing federal regulations may mean for your escrow account
The dispute could determine whether states retain meaningful power to impose consumer protections on federally chartered banks.
Consumer Protection
Ten states sue Trump banking regulator over mortgage escrow interest - billions at stake
Ten states are challenging new federal rules that let national banks ignore state laws requiring interest on consumers’ mortgage escrow money.
AI/Privacy
AI may soon do your shopping for you. But whose side will it be on?
AI shopping assistants are moving beyond product searches toward choosing sellers and, eventually, completing purchases for consumers.
Money
Car costs, shopping habits and debt shape today's consumer picture
Consumers are being squeezed from all directions as prices and interest rates climb while household debt levels climb.
Money
Is gold a wise investment for smaller investors?
Consumers are constantly bombarded with come-ons for gold investment "opportunities." Some of these are downright fraudulent and the rest are a big, shall we say, optimistic. Here's what the experts tell us.
Consumer Protection
CFPB examiners warned against being 'too aggressive' with the firms they're supposed to regulate
An internal CFPB email obtained by Reuters warned examiners that there could be "most unpleasant" consequences if they were overly aggressive in their dealings with financial institutions.
Consumer Protection
Homeowners got cash with ‘no interest.’ Lawsuit says the real cost was their home equity
A new class-action lawsuit accuses Unison of disguising high-cost mortgage loans as “home equity investments” with no interest or monthly payments.
Consumer Protection
Before you sign a home-equity sharing agreement: 7 numbers to calculate
What does "home equity sharing" really mean? Is it just like a loan?
Consumer Protection
Payday lender’s bank deal could bring loans charging up to 195% APR to every state
OppFi is seeking federal approval to acquire BNC National Bank, giving the high-cost lender control of a national bank charter
Consumer Protection
How to recognize a payday loan disguised as an installment loan
When is an installment loan really a payday loan in disguise? Answer these questions to find out.
Consumer Protection
Zelle fraud case moves forward as New York court rejects most dismissal arguments
The ruling allows New York’s attorney general to investigate whether Zelle’s operator knowingly left consumers exposed to scams