Federal and state of Illinois authorities moved to shut down a debt collection scam operation located in a western suburb of Chicago. The defendants are charged with illegally using threats and intimidation.

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Cryptocurrency companies and legal marijuana businesses now routinely pay thousands a month for access to basic banking services, which some think reflects their lack of other options more than their real risks.

VACAVILLE, Calif. — Whatever you do, don't call it a branch. Travis Credit Union 23rd location is a Financial Solution Center.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Shared branching network CU Service Centers of Alabama is set to return $147,000 in patronage rebates and dividends, the fourth consecutive year it has done so.

While many banks prefer to be fast followers, RBC has a patent pending on mobile wallet technology. The goal is to secure a prominent place in customers' mobile wallets before it gets harder to do so.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week, including thoughts on regulatory complexity, Jamie Dimon's defense of the megabank model, and how vulnerable banks really are to tech startups.

Two House Financial Services subcommittee chairmen are urging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to delay enforcement of a new disclosure regime due to take effect this summer until Jan. 1.

Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., has a new chief executive for its Tallahassee State Bank: Matt Brown, who had been a market president at Centennial Bank.

Bankers who hold political offices can become advocates for their communities while boosting the profile of their banks. Still, they must be mindful of the time constraints and potential conflicts of interest that come with having dual jobs.

The Western Independent Bankers, a San Francisco industry group, has a new president and chief executive.

Financial Institutions Inc. in Warsaw, N.Y., increased the size of its debt offering by 14% due to high demand.

A federal court has temporarily halted Los Angeles-based Wealth Educators Inc. and its president from offering mortgage relief services after the Federal Trade Commission charged the operation with failing to provide the help promised to homeowners, while charging a large illegal upfront fee for services.

MultiCare Health Systems, a Tacoma, Wash.-based nonprofit, is the subject of a new report citing questionable billing practices and collection methods that leave some patients in endless cycles of debt.

Critics of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposals to rein in payday loans argue that onerous requirements could force many lenders to shut down, leaving cash-strapped Americans with few options for short-term credit. But the truth is payday loans often leave low-income borrowers in even worse straits.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and from our social media platforms.

The dialogue comes as the central bank is mulling a potentially momentous application by an upstart credit union that hopes to serve the marijuana industry.

BankMobile, a division of Customers Bank in Phoenixville, Pa., announced that it will be one of the first banks to adapt its mobile application specifically for the soon-to-launch Apple Watch.

JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon tried to defend his bank's size and scope by suggesting that community banks are just as vulnerable in a crisis. But he succeeded only in proving that Wall Street firms will make the same mistakes all over again unless the government takes steps to disincentivize their risky behavior.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve Board finalized a rule Thursday that could spur small bank deals by expanding the number of bank holding companies that qualify for an exception allowing them to carry more debt.