Consumer lending

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week, including banks' subpar shareholder value and how big-data advocates can better communicate with critics who worry about the technology's potential discriminatory effects.

Activity at credit unions has been on the rise since the Bank Transfer Day movement in November 2011. It remains to be seen, however, if credit unions can succeed at keeping many of those relationships.

A total of 109,561 U.S. properties had foreclosure filings - default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions - in August, down 12% from July and down 6% from a year ago.

The results of a nine-year study of consumers enrolled in debt settlement programs show consumers realize financial benefits and have a higher probability of success since regulatory reforms took effect in 2010.

Community banks will soon have a new way to lend to each other, though it is unclear how eager they might be to participate.

The operators of a fraudulent collection scheme will be banned from the collection business under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, resolving charges that they illegally processed more than $5.2 million in payments for phony debts.

Ontario Systems has been acquired by private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners, the two companies announced Wednesday.

Student loan default rates have doubled in the last decade and new research indicates the bulk of the increase is tied to the number of non-traditional borrowers attending two-year colleges and for-profit schools.

Small installment loans with monthly payments limited to 5% of a borrower's income offer a way for banks to serve low-income customers' credit needs while turning a profit.

Alliance Data Systems has agreed to work with Toyota on a new line of private-label credit cards and to manage the Japanese automaker's existing co-branded card program.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has temporarily shut down a nationwide firm that promised consumers legal help with debt relief. The firm allegedly took $67 million in upfront fees.

The Better Business Bureau of Central and South Alabama is warning consumers about a collection law firm that allegedly is telling people to pay or go to jail.

Consumer credit default data for August showed small increases in numerous default rates, according to the S&P/Experian Consumer Credit Default Indices released Tuesday.

A growing number of experts agree: Complaints against debt collectors are down, and debt collectors still outrank other industries in complaint resolution.

The Internal Revenue Service’s Automated Collection System lacks key controls for selecting which delinquent tax cases to pursue, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.

The banking industry has taken notice of the news that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. plans to change the way it assesses banks with less than $10 billion in assets for deposit insurance coverage.

The South Carolina Department of Revenue has announced a plan to help make it easier for state agencies to collect delinquent fees and fines.

Federal regulators have cited F.N.B. Corp. in Pittsburgh for violating rules to protect consumers from unwanted, automated text messages.

A $12.4 million settlement aimed at providing debt forgiveness and cash payments to former Daymar College students ended a legal battle between Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway’s office and the school.

Consumers continue to have a disciplined approach to spending with their credit cards, according to the American Bankers Association.