VIOLATION OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT-Supreme Court Ruling of Bank of America and Wells Fargo in Violation of the Fair Housing Act

The City of Miami filed suit against Bank of America and Wells Fargo alleging violations of the Fair Housing Act (FHA).  The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings and in other housing-related transactions.  The City charged that the Banks intentionally targeted African-American and Latino neighborhoods and residents.  They…

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St. Jude Medical Defibrillators Recall

Why is there a recall? St. Jude Medical Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD) and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillators (CRT-Ds)  provide pacing for slow heart rhythms, and electrical shock or pacing to stop dangerously fast heart rhythms.  They are implanted in the upper chest are with connecting wires called leads that go into the heart. Some devices…

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JP Morgan Chase Settles for $55 Million on Charges of Discriminatory Mortgage Practices

On January 18, 2017, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York filed a lawsuit against J.P. Morgan Chase with claims that the bank had engaged in discriminatory mortgage practices from 2006 to 2009.  These discriminatory practices occurred when brokers charged African-American and Hispanic borrowers higher rates for mortgages than white borrowers with…

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Who’s Protecting Your Financial Future?

41 Million Americans: That’s the share of our country estimated to be over the age of 65. Out of that number, 1 in 10 experienced elder abuse over the course of just one year, many cases involving more than one form of abuse.  However, the National Elder Abuse Incidence Study estimates that only 1 in 14…

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Signs Someone Might Be A Victim of Financial Elder Abuse.

Financial exploitation of the elderly can be perpetrated by a stranger, a friend, caregiver(s), or even family members. Signs that someone might be a victim of financial elder abuse are: Unusual or unaccounted for activity in bank accounts, i.e. large or numerous withdrawals, attempts to withdraw from bank account Current bills remain unpaid, in spite…

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Mobile Check Deposit Issues

Many banks are providing customers the new popular feature of depositing checks through a smartphone.  Customers use a mobile app to take a picture of a check with their phones or tablets and deposit the money into their banks accounts.  This process is known as remote deposit capture and about three quarters of the largest…

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Are You Being Harassed By Debt Collectors?

Economic hardships affect almost everybody and sometimes that means we can’t pay all our bills and other obligations. However, that situation does not allow debt collectors to abuse consumers or use unfair tactics to get someone to pay. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) means debt collectors aren’t allowed to be abusive, deceptive or…

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