Credit Card Hotline Causes Next Fight Over Consumer Bureau

By Cornelius Nunev


The latest fight over the CFPB involves a charge card hotline. The idea is that the bureau would compile data and complaints direct from customers, and use that info when appropriate. Banks and credit card issuers are concerned with data be-ing inaccurate and not being used in the correct manner. This would help keep all cash advance data private.

Charge cards to get crowdsourcing penalties

A lot of debate was put to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau before the charge card hot-line was considered. This hotline would make it so customers can complain about charge card issuers and practices they have, Daily Finance reports. The hotline would be so customers can report any abuse that occurs. Then the Bureau would give that information to states to use. The basic idea is that the information would be crowdsourcing for grievances. However, the grievances would also go straight to government officials who could potentially fine card issuers without vetting the complaints. Card issuers and banks, according to Bloomberg, are seeking to keep the database private, so only the card issuer, the customer who complained and the appropri-ate regulatory agency can view data about the individual complaint.

Banks want flow of data stemmed

The flow of data can hurt banks a lot, which is they're fighting for private data. Right now, the complaint line will start with the Consumer Financial Protection Bu-reau. This is anticipated to happen on July 21. Anything said about charge card issuers could be accessed with the way the line is set up. Though it may seem that banks and card issuers want to keep this information from the public to keep every person from seeing the dishonest practices they engage in, there is a fair point to consider; some people are apt to complain about fees regardless of whether those fees were fairly levied. It could be terrible for the public data to be streaming like that.

Customer bureau future

The CFPB will have authority to regulate, to some extent, vir-tually all manners of customer finance like credit cards, mortgages, payday loans, debit cards and so on. One organization with all that power has started debate. Congress has fought about this continuously. There were three bills on the bureau introduced though. Two of these would change who is in charge of it, Reuters reports. With one bill, a director would be required before the CFPB could get to work. Another would make it so a five member panel would replace the one director. Warren is the White House advi-sor getting the bureau ready that has been considered for director, however Republicans are against that. The bureau may not really start in July as anticipated.




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