April 19: Recent CFPB Activities

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act was passed by Congress to enable servicemembers to devote themselves to the defense of the Nation by providing them key protections. This law’s important provisions include the right to reduced interest on certain loans and shielding servicemembers from foreclosure while they are serving the nation.

In an ongoing case, Citibank has been sued by servicemembers on behalf of themselves and a class of similarly situated people who claim that the bank violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Four servicemembers say that Citibank charged them and many other active duty servicemembers too much interest on their credit card debt during their military service. Rather than responding on the merits of the servicemembers’ claim, Citibank is fighting their ability even to bring a lawsuit. Citibank is arguing that the servicemembers’ credit-card agreements require them to arbitrate their class claims instead. Last year, a federal judge ruled that the servicemembers are in fact entitled to have their class claims heard in court. Citibank didn’t accept that decision, as it is now appealing the judge’s ruling. And a coalition of businesses — led by the Chamber of Commerce, American Bankers Association, and American Financial Services Association — have sided with Citibank against the group of servicemembers alleging that Citibank broke the law while they were serving their country.