WASHINGTON — The U.S. financing arm for Toyota was fined $60 million Monday by a federal consumer regulator for preventing car buyers from canceling add-ons to their loans. "Toyota's lending arm illegally withheld refunds, made borrowers run through obstacle courses to cancel unwanted services, and tarnished their credit reports," said Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra. Toyota Motor Credit Corp., or TMCC, violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act by preventing customers from canceling loan add-ons that cost on average between $700 and $2,500 per loan, according to a consent order. TMCC is ordered to pay $48 million in consumer redress and a $12 million civil money penalty to the CFPB's victims relief fund. "Given the growing burdens of auto loan payments on Americans, we will continue to pursue large auto lenders that cheat their customers," Chopra said.

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Persons: WASHINGTON, Rohit Chopra, Chopra, Vincent Bray Organizations: Toyota, Financial, Toyota Motor Credit Corp, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Toyota Financial Services, CNBC Locations: The U.S