On the recordOctober 24, 2017
Mr. President, Wells Fargo creates 3.5 million fake accounts, charging customers fees and ruining credit scores. Equifax lets hackers steal personal information on 145 million Americans, putting nearly 60 percent of American adults at risk of identity theft. And somehow we are about to vote on a Republican proposal that makes it harder for consumers to hold companies like Wells Fargo and Equifax accountable. I know it sounds nuts, but it is true. Here is the issue: If you have a checking account, credit card, private student loan, or any number of financial products, there is a good chance you have given up your right to go to court if that financial firm cheats you. That is because tens of millions of consumer financial contracts include a forced arbitration clause that says that if this financial company cheated you, you can't join with other consumers in court; you have to go to arbitration by yourself. Tens of millions of consumers, including around 80 million credit card customers, can't go to court if their banks cheat them. Think about what this means in the real world. You wake up in the morning and find a mysterious $30 fee on your account statement. You call the bank and say: I didn't agree to this. The bank tells you to pound sand. So what are your options? Well, if there is no forced arbitration clause in your contract, you have a choice: You can go to court, or, if your bank offers it, you can pursue arbitration. Here is what you want to think about.…





