| Volume 99 Number 11 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Take advantage of the law and save money!
Debit cardholders don't face large over-draft fees, often $30-35, unless the cardholder expressly “opts-in” and elects to allow the card company to approve over-draft transactions.
Save money and just say “no.” You may change your election at any time.
For more general information about the law, check out my website.
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Senators Seek to Protect Consumers From Corinthian Colleges
Twelve United States senators are asking the Department of Education to tighten the belt on Corinthian Colleges Inc. as it faces investigation from four federal agencies and twenty states over its deceptive marketing, the way it handles loan applications, and its claims about job-placement.
The Department of Education has a deal in place with Corinthian Colleges that allows its schools to keep operating while it sells off some campuses and phases others out. If Corinthian complies with this and other parts of the agreement, the federal government will release $16 million of student aid for students currently enrolled.
While the Department of Education already has a deal in place, the twelve senators want more robust protections for consumers. Labeling Corinthian "the worst actors" in the for-profit college business, the senators want a prohibition on new enrollment and a guarantee that Corinthian will not enforce arbitration clauses, among other assurances.
Will the senators be successful in blocking new enrollment? Why is the removal of mandatory arbitration so important for the protection of student rights?
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What's Next for Aereo Consumers
Last week, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Aereo violated federal copyright law by letting users stream network television from their computers or mobile devices. According to the company, it has no "Plan B" to maintain service after the Court's ruling.
So what's next for Aereo consumers?
Aereo announced it will issue refunds to its consumers. However, if those consumers wish to continue watching network television, they will need to find an alternative. There are currently many ways for consumers to watch free network television. For instance, most new televisions are equipped to deliver high definition over-the-air content with a small antenna.
What will Aereo consumers do now that the service has shut down? What are your options if you want to "cut the cord" too?
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Your Money
What are the payments on a parental (PLUS) loan?
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For the Lawyers
Consumer filing claim under FDCPA does not have to first dispute the debt.
The district court held that the consumer could not bring suit challenging the information contained in a debt collector’s letter without having first disputed the validity of the debt pursuant to the FDCPA’s validation procedure.
The Third Circuit reversed, finding the statute’s text provides no indication that Congress intended to require debtors to dispute their debts under § 1692g before filing suit under § 1692e, and in fact, the statutory language suggests the opposite. The court noted that the language of § 1692g indicates that disputing a debt is optional.
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