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☆ Some student-loan borrowers with private debt are being forced to make payments they don't owe, a federal watchdog says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The CFPB released a report analyzing complaints from private and federal student-loan borrowers. AdvertisementAdvertisementSome lenders might be discouraging private student-loan borrowers from receiving relief to which they're entitled. In that time period, 9,284 student-loan borrowers submitted complaints — 6,934 of which were related to federal loans and 2,350 of which were related to private loans. The current private student-loan portfolio in the US has about $132 billion in outstanding debt, which is 8% of the total outstanding student debt. As Insider previously reported, private student-loan borrowers are more vulnerable than federal borrowers because they do not have the same avenues for federal debt relief and repayment, and it's harder to regulate private lenders that can set their own terms.

Persons: —, Robert Cameron, Federal Trade Commission's, it's, Cameron Organizations: Service, Consumer, Federal Trade

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau upon his arrival at Bharat Mandapam convention center for the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. Canada on Thursday pulled out 41 diplomats from India, and had earlier paused trade treaty talks with India. India imports potash, lentils, and energy products such as coal, coke and briquettes among other goods from Canada. Bilateral trade between Canada and India touched $8 billion in 2022. Canada has invested more than $3.6 billion in India with over 40% of that being in services and infrastructure, according to Invest India.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Justin Trudeau, Evan Vucci, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, There's, Neha Arora, Nikunj, Mayank Bhardwaj, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Indian, Canada, Bharat, Invest India, Reuters, JSW Steel, Canada's Teck Resources, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Canada, Ottawa, Surrey, Vancouver, Canada's Teck

☆ Walgreens to settle Rite Aid investors' merger claims for $192 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A sign advertises COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine shots at a Walgreens Pharmacy in Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S., August 14, 2023. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 19 (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA.O) has agreed to pay $192.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit by investors in Rite Aid (RADCQ.PK) who accused Walgreens of misleading them in 2017 about scrutiny of the two drugstore chain operators' then-pending merger. A spokesperson for Walgreens and an attorney for Rite Aid investors did not immediately reply to requests for comment. The Rite Aid investors sued Walgreens and its executives over statements they made about the proposed merger between the two major U.S. pharmacy chains, which was first announced in 2015. The settlement with investors comes on the heels of Rite Aid filing for bankruptcy protection as it struggled with high debt and costs from opioid litigation.

Persons: Brian Snyder, Jennifer Wilson, Duane Reade, Jody Godoy, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Walgreens, REUTERS, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Rite, Rite Aid, Federal Trade Commission, Aid, Thomson Locations: Somerville , Massachusetts, U.S, Pennsylvania, Britain, United States, New York

☆ Credit card users paid nearly $164 billion in fees, interest in 2022. It may 'get a little worse,' analyst warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Some credit card companies charge as much as $41 for a missed payment. Proposed changes are meant to fill gaps in the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, or CARD Act. The law imposed guardrails on credit card companies, like price controls on penalty fees and specific conditions in which they can be charged. However, there is no restriction on how much APR a company can charge nor language on late fees. How to minimize credit card fees, interestCardholders paid on average $76.27 in fees and interest per credit card account in the fourth quarter of 2022, WalletHub found.

Persons: Oscar Wong, Biden, Schulz, Cardholders, WalletHub, it's, cardholders, Autopay, Matt Schulz, Sara Rathner Organizations: Federal Trade Commission

☆ U.S. Senate panel sends three FTC nominations to full Senate
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter testifies on the "Oversight of the Federal Trade Commission" before the U.S. Senate Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security Subcommittee in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, U.S., November 27, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee voted on Wednesday to send three nominations for the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to the full Senate. THE TAKEIf confirmed by the Senate, as expected, adding the two Republicans will not change the balance of power at the five-member FTC, which also enforces antitrust law. A previous Republican FTC commissioner, Christine Wilson, quit this year and sharply criticized agency leadership. Reporting by Diane Bartz; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Rebecca Slaughter, Leah Millis, Andrew Ferguson, Melissa Holyoak, Lina Khan, Christine Wilson, Diane Bartz, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Federal, Federal Trade Commission, U.S . Senate Consumer Protection, Safety, Insurance, Data, Russell Senate, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Senate, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Democrat, FTC, Democratic, Amazon.com, Albertsons, Republican, Thomson Locations: Russell, Washington , U.S, Virginia, Utah

☆ How to get free credit reports every week—not just once a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

You can now get free credit reports pretty much whenever you need one, not just once a year. Americans were already legally entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three credit reporting agencies, the FTC says. However, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the three agencies announced in 2020 that free reports would be made available every week. To request your free weekly credit reports, go to AnnualCreditReport.com. Note that many major banks, credit card companies and credit monitoring services offer free credit scores, but those aren't the same thing as detailed credit report.

Persons: —, TransUnion — Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, FTC Locations: AnnualCreditReport.com

☆ Exxon Mobil’s Pioneer Deal Is a Direct Threat to Democracy - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Jeff D. Colgan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The cumulative effect of it all on democracy would be so significant that regulators ought to be paying close attention. The Pioneer deal not only seems to be a huge bet to take advantage of that expected failure; it is also a commitment to contribute to the failure. Larger, consolidated oil companies have incentives to restrain production, restricting supply to artificially sustain high prices. Higher oil prices would mean higher gasoline prices at the pump — a classic antitrust concern. Her legal team could make a case built around the potential harm the deal would do to competition in the oil market.

Persons: Lina Khan’s Organizations: Exxon, Federal Trade Commission, Pioneer Locations: Paris, Texas

☆ Walmart beefs up its third-party marketplace as it challenges bigger online rival Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

In this article WMTAMZN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTWalmart hosted its first seller summit for its third-party marketplace this summer. Walmart leaders gave third-party marketplace sellers an early gift, too: Waiving extra fees for storing merchandise during the peak season. Already, the company is using the third-party marketplace to try to drum up early business. About 70% of items included in Walmart Plus Week, which coincided with Amazon Prime Day in July, were marketplace items. There are signs Walmart's growing third-party marketplace could help the company defy slower spending patterns and capitalize on inflation-wary shoppers.

Persons: Doug McMillon, Santa Claus, Sam Walton, Walmart's, Tom Ward, Rick Watson, Watson, Melissa LaCognata, Jaré Buckley, Cox Organizations: Walmart, Amazon's, Amazon, Walmart U.S, eBay, RMW Commerce Consulting, Federal Trade Commission, Disney, Reebok, Lucky Locations: Las Vegas, Amazon

☆ $3.4 million in student-debt cancellation is on the way for borrowers who went to a for-profit school that 'falsely' touted job placement rates, the FTC says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sollers will cancel $3.4 million in student debt for those who entered income-share agreements. The FTC said the school lied about job placement rates and employer partnerships. "Today's order cancels all income-share agreements issued by the school." This is not the first time a federal agency has raised red flags over income-share agreements. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently sued career bootcamp Prehired, accusing it of misrepresenting the nature of its income-share agreements with students.

Persons: Sollers, —, Joe Biden's, New Jersey —, Samuel Levine, Weill, Weill Cornell Medicine —, Aerotek, bootcamp Prehired, Prehired Organizations: FTC, Service, Federal Trade Commission, Sollers, Consumer, Sollers College, The Federal Trade Commission, Weill Cornell Medicine, Consumer Financial Protection Locations: New Jersey, FTC's, Sollers

☆ 4 tips for small businesses to get more customer reviews — and what to do with the feedback
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Erica Sweeney | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Reviews are a low-cost way to market your business and get live feedback from customers. Here, two small-business owners offer advice for collecting customer reviews and using them to scale their businesses. In a BrightLocal survey of shoppers, 88% of respondents said they were likely to use a business that responded to all customer reviews. When you ask for reviews and respond to them, you let your customers know that you value their feedback, Elston said. "Customer reviews are your live focus group where you get really valuable feedback that you can use to enhance the customer experience, enhance your product, and enhance your business overall," she said.

Persons: SBOs, —, Caroline Elston, Elston, Platterful, Ann, Noder, they'd, she's Organizations: Small, Service, Indiana, Consumers, Public, Phoenix, Google, Federal Trade Commission

☆ Meet Microsoft games chief Phil Spencer, who helped drive $69 billion Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

When Phil Spencer took the helm of Microsoft's gaming division in 2014, he and newly appointed CEO Satya Nadella weren't sure if the company should keep investing in the Xbox, which was losing to Sony. Less than a decade later, Spencer and the Xbox are at the center of the software company's largest acquisition ever. Coyner, who left Microsoft in 2018, said he's confident that smart people at the company can explain the high price. He told an interviewer from gaming website Shacknews in 2020 that he only got to become head of Microsoft's gaming division because so many other people had left, and he was still there. In the most recent fiscal year, gaming revenue was $15.5 billion, accounting for 7.3% of total Microsoft sales.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Satya Nadella weren't, Spencer, Don Coyner, it's Organizations: Sony, Activision, Microsoft, European Commission, Federal Trade, FTC, Nintendo Locations: U.S, San Francisco

That shift in legal doctrine was profound, shaping how courts have applied antitrust law ever since. Khan’s ideas have challenged the closest thing to a sacred cow in antitrust law. The most ambitious of those never became law, but Khan’s role in the probe, which Cicilline described as “critical,” helped further raise her profile. Amazon and Meta have both pushed for Khan to recuse herself from matters involving the companies, questioning her objectivity. The US Federal Trade Commission sued Amazon.com Inc. in a long-anticipated antitrust case, accusing the e-commerce giant of monopolizing online marketplace services by degrading quality for shoppers and overcharging sellers.

Persons: Lina Khan, Khan, Stephanie Keith, ” Khan, “, Joe Biden, ”, William Kovacic, George W, Bush, Barry Lynn, Lynn, New America Foundation —, Obama, —, ” Lina Khan, Rong Xu, ” Lynn, it’s, ’ ”, Reagan, Robert Hockett, Khan’s, David Cicilline, Lina, ” Cicilline, Cicilline, Justin Tallis, Biden, Trump, Douglas Farrar, Gary Gensler, Tom Williams, Jonathan Kanter, Roe, Wade, Kevin Kiley, Meta, she’s, “ We’ve, they’re, Federal Trade Commission Lina Khan, Al Drago, Kathleen Bradish, Bradish, Christine Wilson, Wilson, Noah Phillips, Gabby Jones, NetChoice, Carl Szabo, “ It’s, ” Szabo, There’s, ” Kovacic Organizations: CNN, Federal Trade Commission, Amazon, FTC, Big, Microsoft, Meta, Bloomberg, Getty, Republican, White House, Williams College, New America Foundation, Washington Monthly, Yale Law, Washington Post, Cornell Law School, Big Tech, Rhode, Rhode Island Democratic, Apple, Facebook, Cambridge, Activision, SEC, Financial Services, General Government, Securities and Exchange Commission, Capitol, Justice Department, Epic Games, California Republican, Washington , D.C, American Antitrust Institute, GOP, US Federal Trade Commission, Amazon.com Inc Locations: Big Tech, Robbinsville , New Jersey, Washington, Larchmont , New York, Rhode Island, Washington ,, New York

☆ Leaked email shows Amazon's private label boss moved to a new job internally after the company cut dozens of in-house brands
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon's executive in charge of its private-label business has found a new role on the supply chain side, following the company's decision to axe dozens of house brands, Insider has learned. Matt Taddy, formerly Amazon's VP of private brands, is now VP of supply chain optimization technology, also known as SCOT, according to an internal email reviewed by Insider. Amazon's private label business launched dozens of in-house brands in recent years across a number of categories, including clothing, furniture, and electronics. The Federal Trade Commission said in a lawsuit against Amazon last month that the company "degrades its search quality by stacking the deck against third-party competitors of Amazon's private label products." In response, Amazon started significantly scaling back its private label business, and decided to cut many of these brands, according to the Wall Street Journal .

Persons: Matt Taddy, Taddy, Deepack Bhatia, John Felton, Felton, Matt, didn't Organizations: Worldwide Operations, Federal Trade Commission, Amazon, Wall Street, University of Chicago, Microsoft

☆ Top Wall Street analysts believe in the long-term potential of these stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Tipranks.Com Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In this article COSTMUINTCMETAAMZN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTAn Amazon delivery truck at the Amazon facility in Poway, California, Nov. 16, 2022. Investors seeking a sense of direction can turn to analysts who identify companies that have lucrative long-term prospects and the ability to navigate near-term pressures. To that end, here are five stocks favored by Wall Street's top analysts, according to TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance. JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth noted the recent sell-off in AMZN stock and highlighted certain investor concerns. Also on investors' mind is Amazon Web Services' growth, with multiple third-party data sources indicating a slowdown in September.

Persons: Sandy Huffaker, Wall, Doug Anmuth, Anmuth, TipRanks, Needham, Quinn Bolton, Bolton, Sidney Ho, Ho Organizations: MU, Reuters Investors, Investors, JPMorgan, Federal Trade, Meta, Meta Connect, Intel, Systems Business, PSG, Bolton, TipRanks, Micron Technology, Deutsche Bank, Micron, Costco Locations: Poway , California

☆ Illumina to divest Grail within a year if it does not win challenge in EU court
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Grail Inc FollowIllumina Inc FollowOct 13 (Reuters) - Illumina (ILMN.O) said on Friday it would divest cancer test maker Grail (GRAL.O) in 12 months, according to the terms of the European Commission's order, if the life sciences company does not win its challenge in court. EU antitrust regulators on Thursday ordered Illumina to divest Grail, after it completed the deal before securing their approval. The San Diego-based genetic testing company last year challenged the EU watchdog saying it does not have jurisdiction over the acquisition of Grail. But if it is not successful with either its ECJ jurisdictional appeal or in a final decision of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Illumina will divest Grail. Illumina had in June appealed against the order by the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust law in the U.S., to divest Grail.

Persons: Illumina, it's, Sriparna Roy, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Illumina, European Court of Justice, U.S, Fifth, Appeals, Federal Trade Commission, Thomson Locations: San Diego, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Microsoft's $69 billion Activision Blizzard takeover approved by UK, clearing way for deal to close
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Competition and Markets Authority said it had cleared the deal for Microsoft to buy Activision but without cloud gaming rights. Microsoft offered a spate of concessions, which centered around divesting the cloud rights of Activision games to French game publisher Ubisoft Entertainment. The U.K.'s regulatory U-turnRegulators globally were concerned that the takeover would reduce competition in the gaming market, in particular around cloud gaming. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission was fighting a legal battle with Microsoft in an effort to get the Activision takeover scrapped. "As cloud gaming grows, this intervention will ensure people get more competitive prices, better services and more choice.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, we've, Sarah Cardell, Cardell Organizations: Activision, Markets Authority, Microsoft, CMA, Ubisoft Entertainment, Ubisoft, Netflix, Reuters, Authorities, European Union, EU, Federal Trade Commission, Activision PC Locations: U.S, Europe, U.K

Signage is seen at the Federal Trade Commission headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 29, 2020. In the United States, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also fought the deal, and has an argument scheduled before an appeals court on Dec. 6. The agency said on Friday that it remained focused on that appeal. "The FTC continues to believe this deal is a threat to competition." Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Victoria Graham, Diane Bartz, Susan Fenton Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Activision, Ubisoft, Ubisoft Entertainment, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, Britain, United States

☆ Microsoft closes $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard after lengthy regulatory review
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms," Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a blog post . Microsoft has closed its $69 billion acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard , according to a regulatory filing by the company Friday. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will stay on as CEO through the end of the year. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who took the helm in 2014, is aiming to diversify the company's business beyond its core areas such as operating systems and productivity software. WATCH: Microsoft deal with Activision Blizzard set to clear final hurdle

Persons: Phil Spencer, Tony Hawk, It's, Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, pushback, Victoria Graham, Activision Blizzard Organizations: Activision, Blizzard, Microsoft, Markets Authority, Federal Trade Commission, European Commission, Markets, Economic, Activision Blizzard, Nintendo, Sony, Nvidia, San, U.S, Appeals, Circuit, Ubisoft, FTC Locations: U.S, San Francisco federal

☆ How finally closing its Activision purchase will diversify Microsoft's revenue streams
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Microsoft (MSFT) closed its landmark acquisition of Activision Blizzard (ATVI), according to a company regulatory filing Friday, furthering the Big Tech name's video game ambitions. However, this biggest video game deal ever was completed despite the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) ongoing fight to block it. Activision reported $7.5 billion in revenue for the 2022 fiscal year, in comparison to Microsoft's $212 billion in sales for the same period. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Microsoft submitted a new proposal to U.K. regulators for the takeover of American game publisher Activision Blizzard after its initial proposal was rejected.

Persons: Victoria Graham, Jim Cramer, Jim, Tony Hawk, Jim Cramer's Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Big Tech, Activision, pushback, Markets, CMA, Ubisoft, Federal Trade Commission's, CNBC, FTC, Xbox, Nurphoto, Getty Locations: U.S, OpenAI

☆ Student-loan borrowers in Minnesota are getting over $17,000 in refunds after paying a company that 'falsely promised' debt relief, the state attorney general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Student-loan borrowers in Minnesota are getting over $17,000 in refunds through a recent settlement. The attorney general accused a company, Docupros, of pocketing illegal fees over the false promise of debt relief. It's one of the 52 companies Minnesota is investigating over potentially fraudulent behavior with borrowers. AdvertisementAdvertisementAnother day, another settlement for student-loan borrowers. Along with Ellison's efforts, government agencies have been scrutinizing companies that are misleading borrowers into unnecessarily paying for debt relief services.

Persons: —, Keith Ellison, Docupros, Ellison Organizations: Service, Minnesota, Federal Trade Commission, Justice Department, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Education Department Locations: Minnesota, California

☆ Americans have been scammed out of $2.7 billion in 2.5 years on social media—7 red flags to look out for
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Americans lost $2.7 billion combined to scams originating on social media between January 2021 and June 2023, says a new report from the Federal Trade Commission. The methods are aplenty, from romance scams to fake merchants, or fraudsters who take over your social media profiles and con your friends out of money. In some cases, scammers even create advertisements — using each social media platform's own tools — to target users based on age, interests and past purchases. Those younger users' tech savvy can end up working against them, David McClellan, CEO of cybersecurity startup Social Catfish, told CNBC Make It last year. "These people are overly trusting of the technology they're using, and they're more apt to respond to a stranger messaging them," McClellan said.

Persons: David McClellan, McClellan Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, FTC, CNBC

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Thursday ordered U.S. biotech giant Illumina to undo its $7.1 billion purchase of cancer-screening company Grail because it closed the deal without approval of regulators in the 27-nation bloc. The EU already slapped a $475 million fine on Illumina over the summer for jumping the gun on the acquisition without its consent. Allowing the deal to stand would have undermined the credibility of EU regulators. The EU accused Illumina and Grail of knowingly and deliberately merging before getting clearance in what amounted to a vital infringement of the rules. Illumina must “restore the situation prevailing before” the acquisition, regulators said, and how Illumina divests itself of Grail also needs EU approval.

Persons: Didier Reynders, Illumina, ”, Grail Organizations: Union, Thursday, EU, Companies, European Commission, Illumina, Regulators, Federal Trade Commission Locations: BRUSSELS, EU, U.S, San Diego

Protect your identity by regularly checking credit reports or buying identity theft protection. Of the victims of identity theft, 97.2% took action to reduce the risk of identity theft. The best identity theft protection services will provide recovery assistance and identity theft insurance. Aura – All-In-One ID Theft Protection Aura ID Theft Protection offers comprehensive identity protection at some of the best prices on the market. You should also report the identity theft to the FTC through IdentityTheft.gov, which will give you an identity theft report.

Persons: —, you've, –, Read Organizations: Service, Justice Department, Justice, Federal Trade Commission Locations: IdentityTheft.gov

☆ TransUnion settles with the FTC, CFPB for $23 million for impeding tenants' ability to obtain housing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Americans across the country were put at risk of wrongful housing denials because TransUnion failed to follow the law," Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra said. "We are ordering TransUnion to cease its yearslong illegal activity, clean up its broken business practices, redress its victims, and pay penalties." Under the proposed order, which is pending approval by a federal court, $11 million of a $15 million settlement will compensate consumers and $4 million will go to the CFPB's civil penalty fund. The firm also said it has worked with the CFPB and FTC over the past year "to enhance our rental-screening reporting practices, including making certain changes to how eviction records are reported." The CFPB and FTC further argued that tenants who can't access vendors that keep criminal and eviction records face challenges in correcting inaccurate background data.

Persons: TransUnion, Rohit Chopra, CFPB, TURSS, Samuel Levine Organizations: San Francisco , California ., San Francisco , California . WASHINGTON —, Trans, Financial, Federal Trade Commission, Inc, CNBC, Consumers, Consumer Protection Locations: San Francisco , California, San Francisco , California . WASHINGTON, Colorado, FTC's

The battle against junk fees is part of President Joe Biden's administration's effort to ease strains on voter pocketbooks as an election year approaches. Taking on "junk fees" gives Biden and his allies fodder to show they are helping people tackle costs as many Americans are dissatisfied with his economic stewardship. The administration has previously proposed a rule to require airlines to disclose fees upfront. The agency estimated the fees cost consumers tens of billions of dollars annually on items such as hotel resort fees. "These junk fees function as an invisible tax that quietly inflates prices across the economy," FTC Chair Lina Khan told reporters on a conference call.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jonathan Ernst, Biden, Joe Biden's, Lina Khan, Diane Bartz, Jeff Mason, Douglas Gillison, Richard Chang Organizations: U.S, Fire Prevention, Eisenhower, White, REUTERS, Companies United, Democrat, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Consumer Financial, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Companies United States, America

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