Table of Contents

Real debt help
Consumer Action partnered with other national consumer groups to provide tips on how to avoid debt relief scams and bogus mortgage relief assistance. The Get Real Debt Help fact sheet explains debt relief danger signs, rules on upfront fees, and where to turn for real debt help. (Available in Spanish and English).

Chase should revisit consumer marketing materials on overdraft fees
Consumer Action, along with other groups, sent a letter to J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, following a meeting with the bank's CEO of Consumer Banking, Scott Powell. The letter asks Chase to consider problems with marketing materials describing how consumers opt-in to overdraft fees.

Online payday loans trap borrowers
This joint letter to Congress signed by leading consumer advocacy groups explains the harm from online payday loans, a growing avenue for high priced payday lending. Since the online lender has electronic access to the borrower’s bank account, these loans are first in line to be repaid ahead of food, rent, or other necessities when these triple-digit loans are made to struggling families.

Wisconsin payday loan cap gains support across state
Wisconsinites for Responsible Lending (WRL)—of which Consumer Action is a founding member—has announced the addition of new member organizations to its grassroots coalition.

Wisconsinites for Responsible Lending
Wisconsinites for Responsible Lending (WRL) is a statewide coalition of groups and concerned residents that has come together to promote responsible lending practices and products and address one of the pressing economic and social issues affecting our state: Predatory Payday Lending.

Financial reform coalition tackles big issues
A new financial reform coalition, Americans for Financial Reform, has been launched. Consumer Action is a part of this coalition.

“Opt-in” fundamental to consumer overdraft protection
The Federal Reserve's move to curb abuses in bank overdraft practices prompted Consumer Action and its coalition partners to write a letter demanding that the Fed ask institutions to first obtain consumer "opt-in" or agreement before imposing any fees for the service.

Advancing financial literacy in Wisconsin

Over the last three years, Consumer Action’s Sol Carbonell has served as the Dane County Marketing and Promotions Committee Chair for Money Smart Week, a weeklong financial literacy awareness and education campaign that takes place in the state of Wisconsin during the month of October. In this article, Carbonell shares some of the accomplishments and behind the scenes coordination efforts of this campaign that reached thousands of consumers with financial literacy information.

“Consumer Action is proud to be part of Money Smart Wisconsin and urges state partners to join the movement and continue promoting financial literacy,” said Carbonell.

College affordability is a critical part of economic recovery
Consumer Action joined in a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives urging members to include an increase student aid in the economic stimulus package.

Take a ride on the ‘Road to Economic Recovery’
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (Consumer Action is a member) and USAction are planning a massive week of action around the economic crisis.