Deregulation Doesn't Mean Lower Risk

QUESTION 

My main concern is that AI is about to take over my human responsibilities. It may come as a surprise, but I am a lawyer who serves as internal counsel for a lender in 35 states. You might think that a lawyer should have nothing to worry about when it comes to AI. I started here two years ago. The company continues to grow. There were four lawyers in our legal department. Yet, now there are three. One of them was fired, and in her place is an AI tool. I have a feeling that I am next to go! 

What are we doing to ourselves? Why are we allowing AI to put us out of work and take our livelihoods from us? These are not humans, yet they can take our human knowledge, pose as humans, and replace us. I see the downsizing of AI replacing humans. 

We are using your AI Policy Program to help us navigate AI’s compliance risks. It looks like AI is here to stay. AI regulations should protect consumers, and AI should not threaten our jobs! 

I see slow-to-no AI regulations and very little understanding of how it will adversely affect humans.   

What is being done to regulate artificial intelligence? 

OUR COMPLIANCE SOLUTION

AI POLICY PROGRAM FOR MORTGAGE BANKING™    

Our AI Policy Program aligns with Freddie Mac's and Fannie Mae’s requirements.   

Our AI Policy Program consists of the following policies:  

1.       AI Governance Policy 

2.       AI Use Policy  

3.       AI Workplace Policy  

4.       AI Credit Underwriting Policy  

5.       AI Do & Do Not Policy  

6.       AI Ethics Policy  

7.       AI Vendor Management Policy 

8.       AI Mortgage Fraud Policy 

9.       AI Anti-Money Laundering Policy

Contact us for Information! 

RESPONSE 

You say AI is not human, and it certainly isn't. Indeed, the Internet and its derivatives, such as social media, are not human. The Internet, social media, and AI are all inanimate, lifeless, insentient, spiritless, uninhabited, inorganic, labyrinthine, concatenating chains that are composed of winding strands of human meaning. 

These chains have no significance other than the understanding we invent for them. They are not our essence. We follow those chains, each of them like endless sands on a vast beach. The sands are unlimited, but the ones in our hourglass are finite. 

We are Hansel and Gretel, following breadcrumbs that lead to the cannibalistic witch. Inevitably, these brute, cold, insensate vessels into which we pour our being do not know we are there. They are numb, dumb, and oblivious, soullessly mimicking us, like an alien intelligence whose center is everywhere. 

Attempts to regulate AI technologies have not shown much foresight. Some of this negligence is by design and stems from an inability to recognize its implications. The mad dash into a new, unregulated, or semi-regulated technology is hubris borne of money, politics, and ego. AI technologies are expanding at a rate that outpaces the development of regulatory frameworks to mitigate their risks. 

The alien intelligence is ready for us. Are we ready for it? 

Over the past year, federal regulators have sharply pulled back on AI-related enforcement, including fair lending. The CFPB has scaled back liability for disparate impact under ECOA. Bank examiners are conducting fewer fair lending risk assessments. The administration has made deregulation its explicit policy goal. It would be easy to read this as a green light. It isn't. 

"Deregulation" Doesn't Mean Lower Risk 

What's actually happening is a shift in venue, not a reduction in exposure. Enforcement is moving from Washington to state attorneys general, private litigation, and a separate federal statute that nobody has rolled back. For mortgage originators and servicers using AI in underwriting, pricing, marketing, or servicing, the practical compliance burden hasn't gone away. It is just coming from different directions, and those directions are harder to predict than a single federal rulebook ever was.

Telemarketing Guidelines

QUESTION 

We just acquired a telemarketing company. First of all, we do not know anything about telemarketing. And, in my opinion, the telemarketing company doesn’t know anything about telemarketing laws. 

My company is a mortgage lender, and I am on its Board. I was against this purchase, but I was outvoted. Not only do the telemarketing people not know about telemarketing laws, but our own compliance department knows nothing about these laws. Now, they’re scrambling to understand our compliance risk exposure. 

I was told recently that Lenders Compliance Group is a highly respected compliance firm with a broad knowledge of mortgage banking. So, I’m writing you for assistance. I will ask senior management to get in touch with you, too. We will need help getting our compliance department a checklist, policies, procedures, and other guidance to monitor the telemarketing activities. My regret is that I did not contact you sooner. 

I would like you to publish my question in your FAQ newsletter because I want others to know some of the basics of telemarketing laws, in particular, a list of guidelines. 

What are some compliance guidelines for telemarketing? 

ANSWER 

Thank you for contacting us. Ask your senior management to postpone launching the new telemarketing activities until you have ratified and implemented compliance procedures. We’ll work directly with your compliance personnel to provide the appropriate policies and procedures. If you or anyone else wants to contact me to discuss this area of compliance, please get in touch with me here. 

The foundational requirements for telemarketing is the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR, hereinafter “Rule”).[i] The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general have enforcement tools to combat telemarketing fraud. 

A quick outline of the Rule’s purview[ii] would 

·     require disclosures of specific information, 

·     prohibit misrepresentations, 

·     limit when telemarketers may call consumers, 

·     mandate transmission of Caller ID information, 

·     prohibit abandoned outbound calls, subject to a safe harbor, 

·     prohibit unauthorized billing, 

·     apply to all upsells, even in unsolicited calls from a consumer, 

·     set payment restrictions for the sale of certain goods and services, 

·     require that specific business records be kept for two years, 

·     address the use of prerecorded messages, 

·     prohibit deceptive and abusive practices associated with debt relief services, and 

·     prohibit using remotely created payment orders and checks, cash-to-money transfers, and cash reload mechanisms in outbound and inbound telemarketing. 

If your telemarketing campaigns involve any calls across state lines, like many mortgage-related originations and servicing – and whether you make outbound calls or receive calls in response to advertising – you’re likely subject to the Rule’s provisions. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enforces telephonic communications pursuant to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which also regulates telemarketing. 

The very act of contact with the public by means of telemarketing sets in motion a vast range of regulatory compliance requirements and multiple regulatory frameworks. Just considering a generic description of telemarketing should give you an idea of the risk exposure. The Rule describes telemarketing as “a plan, program, or campaign . . . to induce the purchase of goods or services or a charitable contribution” involving more than one interstate telephone call.[iii] With some important exceptions, any businesses or individuals participating in “telemarketing” must comply with the Rule. 

This is true whether, as “telemarketers,” they initiate or receive phone calls to or from consumers, or as “sellers,” they provide, offer to provide or arrange to provide goods or services to consumers in exchange for payment. Whether a company makes or receives calls using low-tech equipment or the newest technology makes no difference. Those making the calls, unless otherwise exempt,[iv] must comply with the Rule’s provisions. If the calls are made to induce the purchase of goods, services, or a charitable contribution, the company is engaging in “telemarketing.” 

Indeed, certain sections of the Rule apply to individuals or companies other than “sellers” or “telemarketers” if these individuals or companies provide substantial assistance or support to sellers or telemarketers. The Rule also applies to individuals or companies that help telemarketers gain unauthorized access to the credit card system by using another merchant’s account to charge consumers, a practice known as credit card laundering. 

There is considerable litigation in telemarketing violations. The FTC, states, and private citizens may bring civil actions in federal district courts to enforce the Rule. State attorneys general or any other officer authorized by the state to bring actions on behalf of its residents may bring actions by the states. Private citizens may bring an action to enforce the Rule if they have suffered $50,000 or more in actual damages. 

Furthermore, anyone who violates the Rule is subject to civil penalties of up to $50,120 for each violation. In addition, violators may be subject to nationwide injunctions prohibiting certain conduct and may be required to pay redress to injured consumers. 

Certain guidelines should be part of every telemarketing program. Telemarketing platforms and programs should be tested and monitored continuously, with reports provided monthly to the Senior Management and the Board. Here’s a brief list of policy statements that must be elaborated on procedurally. The list is not comprehensive; however, it may help you develop a sensitivity to the overall demands of telemarketing compliance.[v] Each item on the list should have a procedural element subject to testing and monitoring. 

Partial List of Telemarketing Procedural Requirements 

Permissible hours 

Procedure: Do not make telephone calls to consumers before 8 A.M. or after 9 P.M. local time at the call’s destination unless the person being called has specifically agreed to a call at another time. 

Do-Not-Call Lists 

Procedure: Maintain a list of consumers who ask not to receive telemarketing solicitations and those whose names appear on the national do-not-call list.

• Honor the requests of consumers who ask not to receive telemarketing solicitations.
• Maintain a process to prevent telephone solicitations to any telephone number on the do-not-call list or the national do-not-call list.
• Maintain appropriate procedures and written policies to comply with the national do-not-call rules.
• Regularly conduct employee compliance training.
• Implement a version of the national do-not-call registry obtained from the administrator of the registry no more than three months prior to the date any call is made and maintain records documenting this process.
• Use a process to not sell, rent, lease, purchase, or use the national do-not-call database or any part of it for any purpose except compliance with the rules and to prevent telephone solicitations to telephone numbers registered on the national database. 

Oral Disclosures for Outbound Telephone Calls 

Procedure: Disclose the following information truthfully, promptly, clearly, and conspicuously in any outbound telephone call to a potential new customer:

• Institution’s identity.
• The purpose of the call is to sell loans.
• That the caller makes mortgage loans. 

Artificial or Prerecorded Voice Calls 

Procedure:

• Do not use an artificial or prerecorded voice call to a consumer’s home unless there is an existing business relationship with the person being called (in which case, identify as such).
• Any artificial or prerecorded voice message releases the line of the person being called within five seconds of notice that the called party has hung up.
• The beginning of any prerecorded message clearly states the caller's identity.
• During or after any prerecorded message, state the caller’s telephone number. 

Call Abandonment

Procedure:

• Do not abandon more than 3 percent of calls answered by a person.
• Deliver a prerecorded identification message when abandoning a call. 

Caller Identification 

Procedure:

• Transmit caller identification (caller ID) information when available, and do not block this information. 

Facsimile Machines 

Procedures:

• Do not send unsolicited advertisements to facsimile machines.
• On any fax, identify the sender.

Essentials of Telemarketing Policy

QUESTION 
You recently answered a question about a company not having a Do Not Call list. The answer you gave became the basis of a meeting about how to manage our telemarketing procedures. We have updated our policies and procedures and commenced the training of our internal sales force and external telemarketing firm. I can’t thank you enough for your timely advice.

But a subject came up in our meeting that I would like to discuss. In updating our policies and procedures, we could not find a list of chapter and section titles. We want to list them and then provide our requirements in the procedures. So, we decided to send this question to you with the hope that you will provide some of the elements needed in policy and procedures on telemarketing.

Our question is, then, what are some essential elements of the telemarketing policy and procedures?

ANSWER 
I wrote about telemarketing violations last week in connection with the Do Not Call Registry and procedures as these relate to the Telemarketing Sales Rule. Given that you are currently following up on your telemarketing strategies and updating your policy document, I will offer some elements that should go into it.

You should contact us for a Telemarketing Tune-up, because a policy approach is only a foundational framework. Our audit is quick and cost-effective. It provides findings, recommendations, and a risk rating. Your telemarketing procedures should be evaluated for regulatory compliance. That is what the Telemarketing Tune-up does. If you are actively involved in telemarketing initiatives, you should get this audit done as soon as possible.

With respect to essential elements of a telemarketing policy, I would recommend that you have chapters and sections for the following subjects. My suggestions are not comprehensive because telemarketing strategies vary, and your policy should adequately reflect the variance. However, as a serviceable set of guidelines, I think you should consider these outlined elements fundamental to a solid telemarketing policy.

Permissible Hours
You should not be making telephone calls to consumers before 8 A.M. or after 9 P.M. local time at the call’s destination, unless the person being called has specifically agreed to let you call at another time.

Do Not Call Lists
This section would require on-going training and monitoring. For instance, among other things, you need to maintain a list of consumers who ask not to receive telemarketing solicitations, consumers whose names appear on the national Do Not Call list, tracking for honoring the requests of consumers who ask not to receive telemarketing solicitations, implementing a process to prevent telephone solicitations to any telephone number on your Do Not Call list or the national Do Not Call list, training, and keeping a version of the national Do Not Call Registry, obtained from the Registry no more than three months prior to the date any call is made, and maintain records documenting this process. Furthermore, you should be auditing contact with consumers to ensure you do not sell, rent, lease, purchase, or use the national Do Not Call database, or any part of it, for any purpose except compliance with the rules and to prevent telephone solicitations to telephone numbers registered on the national database.

Oral disclosures for Outbound Telephone Calls
Make it a requirement to disclose the following information truthfully, promptly, and in a clear and conspicuous manner, in any outbound telephone call to a potential new customer: your institution’s identity, the purpose of the call (viz., to originate mortgage loans), and that you originate mortgage loans. I suggest you contact us for compliance support in this area, as we are one of the few compliance firms in the country that provides Call Calibration, which is a methodology to audit and report on calls between a financial institution and consumers.

Artificial or Prerecorded Voice Calls
Be very careful in using this telemarketing strategy! You should not use artificial or prerecorded voice calls to a consumers’ homes (or business) unless you already have a business relationship with the persons being called. Be sure that any artificial or prerecorded voice message releases the line of the person being called within five seconds of notice that the called party has hung up. Your call should have a call identifier. Also, the beginning of any prerecorded message must clearly state your identity, and during or after any prerecorded message, you must state your telephone number.

Call Abandonment
You should not abandon more than 3 percent of calls answered by a person. Additionally, you must deliver a prerecorded identification message when abandoning a call.

Caller Identification
Always transmit caller identification (i.e., caller ID) information, when available, and do not block this information ever.

Facsimile Machines
Do not send unsolicited advertisements to facsimile machines. If you do send any fax, be sure to identify your institution as the sender.

Disclosures for Telephone and Direct Mail Solicitations
Yet another area that calls for Call Calibration! This is an area fraught with litigious minefields. Be sure to disclose the following information, orally or in writing, before a customer pays for any services offered in a telephone or direct mail solicitation: the total costs to receive the services offered; all conditions that must be satisfied to receive the services offered; if you have a policy of not making refunds, provide a statement of your policy; if you mention a refund policy, provide a statement of the key terms and conditions of the policy.

Misrepresentations
You should not misrepresent, directly or by implication, many forms of information, such as the total costs to receive any services offered; all conditions that must be satisfied to receive the services being offered; any features of your services; and any aspect of your refund policies. Steer away from ever saying that you are affiliated with, or endorsed by, any government or other organization. Be careful, too, about misrepresenting prize promotions, such as not disclosing any aspect of a prize promotion, not including (among other things) the odds of being able to receive a prize, misleading about the nature or value of the prize, or misstating that a purchase or payment is required to win a prize or to participate in a prize promotion. Consider Call Calibration when conducting telemarketing campaigns involved prize promotions.

Verifiable Authorization
You should obtain express verifiable authorization before submitting a check, draft, or other form of payment from a person’s account as the result of your telemarketing efforts in one of three ways: in writing; by tape-recording an oral authorization that contains references to the date of the draft or other form of payment, its amount, your name, your telephone number for consumer inquiries, and the date of the authorization; and by providing written confirmation of the transaction, including the date of the draft or other form of payment, its amount, your institution’s name and telephone number for consumer inquiries, and the date of the customer’s oral authorization

False or Misleading Statements
I would insert a separate section for this policy element, even though it includes aspects of the section on Misrepresentation outlined above. Use this section to set forth definitions of false and misleading statements and provide examples of each.

Assisting in Violations
Include a section that states how your institution will not assist anyone else in deceptive or abusive telemarketing acts or practices when you know or should know the other person is violating the FTC or FCC rules. Such an affirmation is important, and will be looked upon favorably by regulators during an audit.

Abusive Acts or Practices
This is a thorny area filled with problematic pitfalls and potential litigation. Threats, intimidation, or the use of profane or obscene language is only the start. It may seem obvious that you should not request or receive payment of any fee before a loan is originated if you have guaranteed or represented a high likelihood of success in obtaining the loan. But there is far more involved in these telemarketing hurdles. For instance, you should not initiate a telephone call, other than a call for emergency purposes or with the prior express consent of the called party, using an automatic dialing system or an artificial or recorded voice, to emergency lines, health care facilities, radio common carriers, or any number for which the called party is charged for the call. Expanding abusive acts further, you should not (1) use an automatic dialing system to make calls that simultaneously engage two or more lines of a multi-line business; (2) disconnect an unanswered telemarketing call prior to at least 15 seconds or four rings; (3) guarantee or assure customers regarding the likelihood of loan approval; (4) cause any telephone to ring or engage any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with the intent to annoy, abuse, or harass; and (5) initiate an outbound telephone call to a person when that person previously has stated he or she does not wish to receive an outbound telephone call from your institution. Use Call Calibration to monitor for abusive acts or practices.

Recordkeeping (24 Months)
Be sure to include a section on recordkeeping. All substantially different advertising materials must be kept for 24 months. Keep the name and last known address of each customer, the loan made, the date the loan was closed, and the amount paid by the customer in connection with the loan. Keep also the name, any fictitious name used, the last known home address and telephone number, and the job title(s) for all current and former employees directly involved in telephone sales. If you permit employees to use fictitious names, you must be able to trace each fictitious name to only one employee. And, maintain all verifiable authorizations required under the rules. With respect to prize offers, keep the name and last known address of each prize recipient and the prize awarded for prizes having a value of $25 or more.

Recordkeeping (60 Months)
Keep all Do Not Call requests for 60 months, including any consumer requests to not receive solicitations.

Jonathan Foxx, Ph.D., MBA

Chairman & Managing Director

Lenders Compliance Group

Collection Calls and Portfolio Retention

QUESTION

We service loans on our own portfolio and want to expand. Our Collection Department needs advice regarding collection call restrictions. When borrower’s do not have “optimal” loans, we are concerned they may seek better refinancing elsewhere. We want to keep these customers in-house, so we leave auto-dialer collection messages when loans are 15-45 days past due, offering potentially better refinancing.

We have been advised we cannot leave such information on an answering machine because of 3^rd party disclosure. So, we changed the recording to “…. we have important business to discuss, including potential refinance.”

But now we have been advised that we should not use collection call recordings for this information.

We think our borrowers may respond quicker if they receive this information early on and will possibly refinance past due loans if they can qualify. 

Can you provide guidance on the regulatory compliance requirements?

Also, what are some restrictions?

ANSWER

Direct answer: No. The company may not leave prerecorded messages that offer potential refinances during a collection call attempt.

Although other regulations are applicable within your stated scenario, this particular issue is regulated under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”). This Act governs telemarketing calls, auto-dialed calls, prerecorded call, text messages, unsolicited faxes and the National Do-Not-Call-List. The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), its parallel, Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and other multi-state laws have a complex set of compliance regulations that covers this broad area. These rules result in steep penalties imposed on a “per violation” basis, even if there is no actual injury to a consumer.

Restrictions apply to collection calls that may include no overt telemarketing. This scenario appears to be a combination of both a collection call and a telemarketing call. To combine calls with these two purposes is prohibited by law.