Table of Contents

Senate should enhance consumer credit protections for servicemembers and their families
Consumer Action joined in sending a letter of support for S. Amdt. 1294 to S. 1867, the Defense Authorization Bill, which would close legal loopholes that allow payday and auto title lenders to bilk military men and women.

Occupy Wall Street movement highlights another harm from big banks: loss of privacy
Consumer Action signed onto a letter supporting Occupy Wall Street's demand for corporate accountability and transparency, particularly with regard to privacy violations by big banks.

FCC must protect consumers from cramming fraud and abuses
A coalition of consumer groups, with Consumer Action, urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt its proposed rules on cramming or to, at the very least, strongly consider more aggressive action such as banning wireline third-party billing.

Payphones should be funded and fixed
In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Consumer Action and National Consumers League expressed support for two pending petitions from the American Public Communications Council (APCC) regarding payphones.

Mortgage servicers must be held to strong standards by consumer agency
Consumer Action signed onto a letter asking the Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Raj Date, to advance strong national mortgage servicing standards.

New protections on remittances offer solid standards for consumers
In a letter to the Federal Reserve Board, Consumer Action joined other advocates in praising new remittance protections for consumers and offering recommendations on problematic areas of the regulations.

Regulators should balance fairness and safety in addressing rules for home loans
California community groups, with Consumer Action, sent a letter to regulators with specific recommendations to strengthen proposed Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM) rules, including the sale of only safe products with fair pricing and abolishing the 20% down payment requirement for home loans.

5% risk retention for lender should not mean 20% down payment on mortgages for buyers
Consumer Action's Deputy Director of National Priorities Ruth Susswein sent a letter to the Federal Reserve Board asking for a modification to the Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM) rule so that middle class families are able to afford a home.

Congress should close the unsafe rental car loophole
Advocates for consumer safety, including Consumer Action, ask Congress to enact a law that forbids rental car companies from renting or selling cards that have been recalled. The letter was prompted in part by the tragic death of two sisters who were driving a recalled Chrysler PT Cruiser.

OCC must drastically strengthen payday loan and overdraft protections
In a letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Consumer Action and other members of Americans for Financial Reform comment on the OCC's proposed guidance on payday loans and overdraft programs.