Banking

Federal regulators are working to streamline call reports for community banks in response to industry complaints that some of the requirements are unnecessary and increasingly burdensome.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the state of Florida were granted a final judgment against the Hoffman Law Group and corporate affiliates accused of using deceptive marketing practices and scamming homeowners into paying illegal advance fees.

The Disney-Pixar movie "Finding Nemo" inspired a run on clownfish in pet stores across America. Banks should pursue the same effect with content that connects with customers on an emotional level and inspires them to take action.

Heartland Financial in Dubuque, Iowa, has agreed to buy Premier Valley Bank in Fresno, Calif.

Anthony Weagley is starting to leave his stamp on Malvern Bancorp in Paoli, Pa.

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.

A joint complaint filed Thursday by federal regulators, if approved by the court, would require Provident Funding Associates to pay $9 million in damages to African-American and Hispanic borrowers for charging higher broker fees on mortgage loans.

A joint complaint filed Thursday by federal regulators, if approved by the court, would require Provident Funding Associates to pay $9 million in damages to African-American and Hispanic borrowers for charging higher broker fees on mortgage loans.

Mercantile Bank in Grand Rapids, Mich., has named a new chief executive for its bank unit as it overhauls its leadership in the wake of the retirement of its chairman.

Discover Financial Services has entered into a written agreement with the Federal Reserve to improve its anti-money laundering procedures.

Provident Funding Associates, a private mortgage lender, has agreed to pay $9 million to settle allegations its brokers charged minorities higher fees and interest rates, federal regulators said Thursday.

Pacific Premier Bancorp in Irvine, Calif., has named Allen Nicholson chief financial officer.

TCF Financial has designed a new logo and launched a new marketing campaign to improve its image, which has taken a hit lately according to recent customer-satisfaction surveys.

Banks with more than $1 billion of assets are now required to report overdraft income in their call reports. Data released Wednesday reveals which banks rely most heavily on revenue from overdrafts — and which could be most vulnerable to looming changes in overdraft regulations.

Recognizing that twice as many customers use online banking as mobile banking, the San Francisco bank has invested in a redesign of its website, an area many banks have neglected of late.

Financial messaging organization Swift opened its KYC registry to fund distributors and custodians Thursday.

A visit to an overnight shipping store in Napa Valley reveals that outdated payment-processing procedures remain de rigueur with some merchants — despite the fraud risk.

Burdensome requirements prevent consumer reporting agencies from providing people with educational materials in a timely manner. The Facilitating Access to Credit Act would remove these arbitrary barriers.

American State Bancshares in Wichita, Kan., has agreed to acquire three Kansas branches from Simmons First National.

The head of the FCC on Wednesday circulated a fact sheet on a proposal aimed at clarifying robocall regulations, among other issues. While the sheet is light on details, at least one consumer group praised the action.