LDF Holdings, a pioneering figure in the online consumer lending sector, credits its remarkable success to its steadfast commitment to compliance and unwavering dedication to consumer protection. As a trailblazer in the industry, LDF Holdings’ compliance framework serves as a benchmark for best practices, ensuring the company operates with integrity, transparency, and a focus on responsible lending.
IntegriShield President, Gayla Huber shares “LDF Holdings has proven themselves as a client who utilizes technology to protect consumers and preserve their brand reputation. We look forward to our continued collaboration and supporting their dedication towards best practices.”
About LDF Holdings: LDF Holdings is a prominent leader in the online consumer lending industry, dedicated to providing responsible and transparent financial solutions to its valued customers. With a robust compliance program, LDF Holdings prioritizes customer protection and regulatory adherence, making it a trusted name in the industry.
Regulatory Adherence: At the heart of LDF Holdings’ compliance program is its strict adherence to all relevant tribal and federal regulations governing online consumer lending. The company takes comprehensive measures to uphold consumer protection laws, data privacy regulations, fair lending practices, and anti-money laundering (AML) guidelines. LDF Holdings consistently complies with laws such as the Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”) to guarantee the legality and legitimacy of its operations.
Ethical Conduct and Transparency: Ethics and transparency are foundational pillars of LDF Holdings’ compliance program. The company fosters a culture of ethics and integrity across all business functions, encouraging employees to act responsibly and fairly. Transparent communication with customers is prioritized, ensuring borrowers have a clear understanding of their loan terms and conditions.
Risk Management and Mitigation: LDF Holdings places significant emphasis on robust risk management and mitigation strategies. The compliance program conducts thorough risk assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities and threats. By proactively addressing these risks, the company protects its consumers and stakeholders while maintaining a stable lending environment.
Customer Data Protection: Protecting customer data is of paramount importance to LDF Holdings. The compliance program incorporates stringent data protection measures in line with industry standards and applicable regulations. This approach not only preserves customer trust but also reduces the risk of data breaches and associated reputational damage.
Responsible Lending Practices: LDF Holdings distinguishes itself through its unwavering commitment to responsible lending. The compliance program ensures that borrowers’ creditworthiness is diligently assessed, and loans are extended only to customers who can manage repayments reasonably. This approach helps prevent borrowers from falling into debt traps and fosters a healthier lending ecosystem.
Continuous Training and Education: LDF Holdings’ compliance program includes personalized and ongoing training for employees at all levels. This equips the entire workforce with up-to-date knowledge of regulatory changes and industry best practices, enabling compliant decision making that contributes to the company’s overall success.
Third-Party Vendor Management: Acknowledging the significance of third-party vendors and partners, LDF Holdings’ compliance program emphasizes strict due diligence and continuous monitoring to ensure these entities meet the same high compliance standards upheld by the company and the Tribal Regulatory Agency.
Regular Audits and Assessments: The compliance program incorporates regular internal and external audits to evaluate its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. These audits enable LDF Holdings to remain proactive in adapting to ever-changing regulatory landscapes and industry trends.
Conclusion: LDF Holdings’ unyielding focus on customer protection, responsible lending, and risk management has firmly established the company as a trusted and successful organization in the online lending industry. With a commitment to continuous improvement and transparency, LDF Holdings stands as a leading example of integrity and excellence in the online consumer lending landscape.
Racquel Bell, LDF Holdings Compliance Manager, emphasized, “Our commitment to a robust compliance program is the cornerstone of our success in the online consumer lending industry. Upholding strict adherence to regulatory requirements, fostering an ethical culture, and prioritizing customer protection are the driving forces behind our strong and successful operation. At LDF Holdings, compliance isn’t just a necessity; it is the bedrock of our mission to be the leading example of integrity and excellence in the online consumer lending landscape.
- BY CALIBER FINANCIAL SERVICES
- JUNE 22, 2023
Since its inaugural event in 2021, Caliber Financial Services’ Tribal Fintech Forum has become a can’t-miss event for industry leaders in economic development, e-commerce, and financial services.
Not only does the Tribal Fintech Forum offer a robust educational agenda specifically designed to facilitate important conversations, build and strengthen partnerships, and challenge participants to think differently about the future of online tribal economic development and sovereign lending—it also features one of the industry’s best social and cultural opportunities to network with industry peers in unique, engaging, and exciting experiences!
Year after year, Tribal Fintech Forum educates, motivates, and inspires its exclusive, invite-only participants.
This year, the third annual Tribal Fintech Forum will take place in San Diego from July 26-28. Like in previous years, we’ve assembled an all-star roster of presenters, including discussions with Frank Abagnale, Maranda Compton, Todd Zywicki, Brian Carter, and many more. And, in an industry first, the inaugural Women’s Leadership Forum, hosted by Diana Kander, will focus on uniting the women who lead our industry.
Tribal Fintech Forum is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors. We are particularly grateful to our Founding Sponsors, who have supported Tribal Fintech Forum since the beginning:
ConvergeOne
Acquire Interactive
Direct Marketing Solutions
Integrity Payments
EPCVIP
IDology
IM Group Marketing
IntegriShield
LeapTheory
LoanPro
OTSI
Rosette, LLP
USIO
If your business supports the tribal lending sector, please contact us at tribalfintech.com to inquire about an invitation to this year’s event.
OLA (Online Lender’s Association) and IntegriShield, a leading compliance monitoring firm, are proud to announce a milestone achievement as they celebrate eight years of their strong and fruitful partnership. Over the years, this collaboration has fostered a culture of compliance excellence within the online lending industry, ensuring adherence to the highest standards of integrity and consumer protection.
The partnership between OLA and IntegriShield has been instrumental in maintaining trust, transparency, and regulatory compliance within the online lending sector. IntegriShield’s cutting-edge technology and expertise in compliance monitoring have seamlessly integrated with OLA’s commitment to responsible lending practices. This collaboration has significantly contributed to the industry’s growth and the establishment of consumer-centric policies.
Gayla Huber, President of IntegriShield, expressed her delight at the long-standing partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to celebrate eight years of collaboration with OLA. Our shared vision of promoting responsible lending practices and ensuring consumer protection has been the driving force behind our successful partnership. Through our comprehensive compliance monitoring solutions, we have helped OLA and its members navigate the complex regulatory landscape, mitigate risks, and maintain the highest standards of compliance. We look forward to many more years of working together to support the industry’s growth while safeguarding consumer interests.”
Justin Fisk, Director of Research and Policy for Online Lenders Alliance, emphasized the significance of the partnership, saying, “IntegriShield has been a trusted partner in our ongoing commitment to industry best practices and consumer protection. Their compliance monitoring solutions have provided invaluable insights and support to our members, enabling them to operate with confidence and transparency. Together with IntegriShield, we have made tremendous progress in enhancing the industry’s reputation and creating a secure environment for consumers. We are excited to continue this successful partnership and drive further innovation in responsible lending practices.”
The collaborative efforts of OLA and IntegriShield have not only facilitated compliance with regulatory requirements but also established OLA as a leading advocate for responsible lending practices. The comprehensive monitoring solutions provided by IntegriShield have enabled OLA members to proactively identify and address potential compliance issues, thus reinforcing the industry’s commitment to transparency and consumer protection.
As OLA and IntegriShield celebrate a decade of partnership, they remain committed to advancing the online lending industry’s responsible practices, continually improving compliance monitoring solutions, and advocating for robust consumer protection measures.
About OLA: The Online Lender’s Association (OLA) is a leading trade association representing the online lending industry. OLA promotes responsible lending practices, consumer protection, and innovation in the online lending sector. By advocating for fair and transparent regulations, OLA aims to foster a trustworthy environment for both lenders and borrowers.
About IntegriShield: IntegriShield is a compliance monitoring firm specializing in brand protection. With its state-of-the-art technology and expertise, IntegriShield offers comprehensive monitoring solutions to identify, track, and mitigate compliance risks. Their mission is to support businesses in meeting regulatory requirements, protecting consumers, and maintaining industry best practices.
M&C Communications, a renowned expert in public and media relations, and brand protection, is excited to announce its strategic alliance with IntegriShield, a leading full-service marketing and compliance solutions provider. This collaboration will offer businesses a comprehensive suite of services to strengthen their brand presence and ensure compliance in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
IntegriShield specializes in providing innovative solutions to address marketing and compliance violations for companies operating within the United States and internationally. Leveraging industry-leading proprietary technology, IntegriShield offers monitoring services for web content, paid search, audio, video, and accessibility, providing businesses with the tools to protect their brand, streamline operations, and reduce expenses.
Through this alliance, IntegriShield clients will gain access to M&C Communications’ expertise in Insider Media Relations™ and Brand Protection PR™. M&C Communications has a proven track record of helping businesses develop effective media relations strategies and create compelling content that resonates with their target audience.
“We are thrilled to partner with IntegriShield to offer critical services that address two crucial aspects of brand success: compliance and effective communication,” said Diane Mulligan, President at M&C Communications. “By combining our expertise, we aim to empower businesses with the tools, strategies, and support they need to navigate the challenges of the digital age and build enduring brands.”
“As businesses navigate an ever-evolving digital landscape, the importance of brand protection and effective communication cannot be overstated,” said Gayla Huber, President at IntegriShield. “By partnering with M&C Communications, we are equipping our clients with a powerful combination of compliance solutions and media relations expertise. As a result, this alliance will help businesses build resilient brands that inspire trust, engage their audience, and drive growth.”
About IntegriShield:
IntegriShield is a leading full-service marketing and compliance solutions provider offering state-of-the-art monitoring services. IntegriShield gives businesses peace of mind and empowers clients to thrive in an evolving regulatory environment. For more information, visit integrishield.com.
About M&C Communications:
M&C Communications is an expert in media relations and brand protection, providing businesses with strategic public relations plans and effective content creation services. M&C Communications helps companies enhance visibility and achieve marketing objectives while maintaining brand resiliency. For more information, visit mandccommunications.com.
Caliber Financial Services, Inc. is pleased to announce its continued partnership with IntegriShield, a leading compliance monitoring firm. This partnership has enabled Caliber Financial Services to provide comprehensive and effective compliance solutions to its consumer lending clients.
“We are proud of our long-term partnership with IntegriShield,” said Lori McCutchen, General Counsel of Caliber Financial Services. “Their commitment to providing accurate and timely monitoring services has allowed us to focus on serving our clients and growing our business with peace of mind.”
IntegriShield’s compliance monitoring platform provides Caliber Financial Services with real-time monitoring and alerts for its clients’ consumer facing web content including digital advertising, social media, and website content to ensure compliance with advertising and consumer protection laws.
“We are thrilled to have been a part of Caliber Financial Services’ success,” said Gayla Huber, President of IntegriShield. “Our partnership with Caliber Financial Services is a testament to the value of compliance monitoring and the importance of ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.”
As Caliber Financial Services looks to the future, it will continue to rely on IntegriShield’s expertise and monitoring services to ensure the highest level of compliance for its clients. The partnership between Caliber Financial Services and IntegriShield is a strong example of the power of collaboration and a commitment to excellence.
For more information about Caliber Financial Services, Inc., visit caliberfs.com.
For more information about IntegriShield, visit integrishield.com.
OLA (Online Lender’s Association) and IntegriShield, a leading compliance monitoring firm, are proud to announce a milestone achievement as they celebrate eight years of their strong and fruitful partnership. Over the years, this collaboration has fostered a culture of compliance excellence within the online lending industry, ensuring adherence to the highest standards of integrity and consumer protection.
The partnership between OLA and IntegriShield has been instrumental in maintaining trust, transparency, and regulatory compliance within the online lending sector. IntegriShield’s cutting-edge technology and expertise in compliance monitoring have seamlessly integrated with OLA’s commitment to responsible lending practices. This collaboration has significantly contributed to the industry’s growth and the establishment of consumer-centric policies.
Gayla Huber, President of IntegriShield, expressed her delight at the long-standing partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to celebrate eight years of collaboration with OLA. Our shared vision of promoting responsible lending practices and ensuring consumer protection has been the driving force behind our successful partnership. Through our comprehensive compliance monitoring solutions, we have helped OLA and its members navigate the complex regulatory landscape, mitigate risks, and maintain the highest standards of compliance. We look forward to many more years of working together to support the industry’s growth while safeguarding consumer interests.”
Justin Fisk, Director of Research and Policy for Online Lenders Alliance, emphasized the significance of the partnership, saying, “IntegriShield has been a trusted partner in our ongoing commitment to industry best practices and consumer protection. Their compliance monitoring solutions have provided invaluable insights and support to our members, enabling them to operate with confidence and transparency. Together with IntegriShield, we have made tremendous progress in enhancing the industry’s reputation and creating a secure environment for consumers. We are excited to continue this successful partnership and drive further innovation in responsible lending practices.”
The collaborative efforts of OLA and IntegriShield have not only facilitated compliance with regulatory requirements but also established OLA as a leading advocate for responsible lending practices. The comprehensive monitoring solutions provided by IntegriShield have enabled OLA members to proactively identify and address potential compliance issues, thus reinforcing the industry’s commitment to transparency and consumer protection.
As OLA and IntegriShield celebrate a decade of partnership, they remain committed to advancing the online lending industry’s responsible practices, continually improving compliance monitoring solutions, and advocating for robust consumer protection measures.
About OLA: The Online Lender’s Association (OLA) is a leading trade association representing the online lending industry. OLA promotes responsible lending practices, consumer protection, and innovation in the online lending sector. By advocating for fair and transparent regulations, OLA aims to foster a trustworthy environment for both lenders and borrowers.
About IntegriShield: IntegriShield is a compliance monitoring firm specializing in brand protection. With its state-of-the-art technology and expertise, IntegriShield offers comprehensive monitoring solutions to identify, track, and mitigate compliance risks. Their mission is to support businesses in meeting regulatory requirements, protecting consumers, and maintaining industry best practices.
Online Compliance Issues Facing Small Dollar Lenders
2022 Case Study
Internet Compliance is an essential part of protecting your brand across the web. Businesses invest time and money developing brands and marketing digitally to reach consumers and build trust with their customers. Unfortunately, the Internet creates opportunities for anyone to abuse and exploit companies, misrepresent brands, and take advantage of consumers. You may not even realize your business has been targeted. Today IntegriShield works with almost one hundred small dollar lenders and lead generation brands. We would like to share with you a case study which highlights some of the top issues facing brands on the web today.
__________
A Case Study
False affiliations and online ad fraud are still the leading violations impacting IntegriShield’s online lenders. From January, 2018 – December 31, 2022, 73% of our findings were unauthorized use of our client’s brands on the internet. After a huge increase of unauthorized sites in 2021, compliance efforts have led to a decrease of 11% year over year.
There were 4,842 URLs found to be pages using legitimate lending brand names that were owned and operated by individuals not affiliated or authorized to collect consumer information on behalf of those brands. Taking the 2018 to 2022 total to 16,426 unauthorized sites. While the total number of unauthorized sites came down this year, the number of repeat violators was steady at 27%.
In 2021, 28% of the violations were from repeat offenders. These site owners, who already had their violations identified and taken down over the 4 previous years, put them back up again after the fact. Often the sites hop from hosting company to hosting company until it’s in their best interest to stop putting the websites back up.
Upon discovery, IntegriShield’s remediation team quickly identifies the site owner and sends a series of notices to take down the page content. As part of the process, IntegriShield works with hosting providers to identify those sites who are committing fraud and, in most of the cases, the hosting provider will take the sites down.
We recommend companies consider obtaining trademarks as a means of protecting their brands from bad actors. In all cases, we recommend attempting remediation as a means of documenting the process and outcomes with each site owner. As of December 31, 2022, 79% of the unauthorized use violations have been remediated nationally and internationally with some of the violations still in the remediation process.
__________
While bad actors will continue to infringe on brands, those companies taking a proactive approach will start to see a decline in the number of unauthorized sites, and with it, a decline in the risk of being a target. Being proactive about compliance doesn’t have to be costly or time consuming. Whether you outsource or run it internally, having a written process is the first step.
A compliance monitoring process typically begins with scheduling a monthly review of your brand presence on the web. Once violations of your brand are found, it is very important to have templated communication to quickly send to site owners requesting your brand be removed or the information about it be fixed. Companies should try to work with legitimate sites as much as possible to keep traffic and maintain brand awareness. For those fraudulent sites, it is best to ask for removal. It is important to keep a log of the websites and actions in case you ever need documentation in the future. It also helps to keep screenshots of the violations because the web is always changing.
Compliance, legal, and marketing professionals will always have challenges and risks associated with running a business. Reduce your risk and take control of your brand by regularly monitoring and remediating. Internet fraud has become a top issue over the last few years, but it can be managed. IntegriShield can help.
Acquire Interactive and IntegriShield Celebrate Six Years of Partnership and Compliance Success.
April 17, 2023 — Acquire Interactive, a company dedicated to compliance and responsible business practices, is proud to celebrate its six-year partnership with IntegriShield, a leading provider of compliance monitoring and brand protection services. Together, these two companies have worked tirelessly since 2017 to ensure that Acquire Interactive’s business operations are fully compliant with all regulatory requirements, protecting consumers, the company, and Acquire Interactive’s brand reputation.
IntegriShield’s innovative compliance monitoring platform is designed to identify and mitigate potential compliance risks, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations. For the past six years, IntegriShield has worked closely with Acquire Interactive to proactively identify and address any compliance issues before they become a problem.
“We are thrilled to celebrate our six-year partnership with Acquire Interactive and their dedication to compliance and responsible business practices.” said Gayla Huber, IntegriShield President. “Threats to consumers are constantly changing and Acquire Interactive has always been at the forefront, when it comes to monitoring emerging social media platforms and utilizing new technology. Our compliance monitoring tools have been instrumental in helping Acquire Interactive maintain its strong reputation as a trusted and reliable partner for its customers, and we look forward to many more years of success together.”
Acquire Interactive’s commitment to compliance and responsible business practices is evident in its six-year partnership with IntegriShield. Together, these two companies have worked to maintain Acquire Interactive’s strong reputation as a company that can be trusted to operate ethically and responsibly by monitoring how the brand is promoted online, locating marketing issues, and remediating Company or regulatory violations.
“Our partnership with IntegriShield has been an integral part of our compliance and risk management strategy since 2017,” said Melissa Nieken, Compliance Manager and Corporate Administrator for Acquire Interactive. “Their innovative compliance monitoring platform has helped us stay ahead of any potential compliance risks and allowed us to focus on our core business operations. We are proud to celebrate our six-year partnership with IntegriShield and look forward to continuing our work together.”
With six years of successful partnership and compliance monitoring behind them, Acquire Interactive and IntegriShield are poised for continued success in the years ahead.
Contact: Erin McGinnis, Regulatory Comm Manager, IntegriShield emcginnis@integrishield.co
Kansas City, Missouri – Integrishield, the leading compliance monitoring firm, is proud to highlight Esyoh, a compliant lead generation company, for their outstanding efforts in maintaining compliance and content quality for several hundred organic websites. Esyoh and Integrishield have worked together to bridge the gap between clients and media publishers, ensuring that brands are represented accurately and compliantly through their visibility on organic media.
One of the key factors in this successful partnership has been Esyoh’s dedication to maintaining complete transparency with the Integrishield team about the websites utilizing their ad platform. This transparency has allowed for effective communication and execution of compliance protocols, ensuring that all parties involved are working together to maintain compliance.
As a compliance monitoring firm, Integrishield recognizes the importance of maintaining compliance for schools and agencies to achieve success. Through their partnership with Esyoh, they have been able to provide valuable support in ensuring that colleges are represented properly and compliantly on organic media.
Integrishield is proud to commend Esyoh for their proactive approach to compliance and looks forward to continuing to work with Esyoh to provide the best possible remediation outcomes for their clients.
For more information about Esyoh and their lead generation services, visit their website at www.esyoh.com. To learn more about Integrishield and their compliance monitoring services, visit www.integrishield.com.
Kansas City, Missouri – IntegriShield, a leading provider of compliance monitoring software, is pleased to announce a new partnership with the US Hemp Roundtable, a leading cannabis advocacy organization. This collaboration will enable IntegriShield to provide comprehensive compliance monitoring and risk management solutions to the rapidly expanding cannabis industry in the United States.
IntegriShield’s cutting-edge software technology empowers companies to maintain regulatory compliance and protect against reputational and financial risks by constantly monitoring online platforms and other sources of potential compliance issues. With the support of the US Hemp Roundtable, IntegriShield will be able to tailor its offerings to better serve the needs of the cannabis industry, including hemp-derived products.
“We are excited to partner with the US Hemp Roundtable and leverage their expertise in the cannabis industry,” said Gayla Huber, President of IntegriShield. “Our team of experts is committed to ensuring that cannabis companies have the tools they need to navigate the complex regulatory environment and stay ahead of compliance risks.” The U.S. Hemp Roundtable is a coalition of dozens of leading companies and organizations committed to safe hemp and CBD products. With its vast network of members and partners, the Roundtable provides a powerful voice for the hemp industry, both in Washington and
across the country.
“The U.S. Hemp Roundtable is thrilled to welcome IntegriShield into our membership ranks. As the leading business advocacy group for the hemp industry, our Board has a self-imposed ethics policy that we ask all members to follow. This ethics policy requires our members to comply with state and federal laws, truth in advertising and labeling, and follow good business practices. Thanks to our new partnership with IntegriShield, we are excited that a compliance software company can help expedite our review process and eliminate any human error that could arise from a manual review. IntegriShield’s services will no doubt help us keep high standards in our membership review process.” – Kerry Hinkle, Membership Coordinator, U.S. Hemp Roundtable.
For more information on IntegriShield and its compliance monitoring solutions, please visit integrishield.com. To learn more about the US Hemp Roundtable and its advocacy efforts, please visit hempsupporter.com.
Contact:
IntegriShield – Regulatory Comm Manager, Erin McGinnis, emcginnis@integrishield.com
US Hemp Roundtable – PR Director, Alyssa Erickson, alyssa@hempsupporter.com
Internet Compliance is an essential part of protecting your brand across the web. Businesses invest time and money developing brands and marketing digitally to reach consumers and build trust with their customers. Unfortunately, the Internet creates opportunities for anyone to abuse and exploit companies, misrepresent brands, and take advantage of consumers. You may not even realize your business has been targeted. Today IntegriShield works with over 90 small dollar lenders and lead generation brands. We would like to share with you a case study which highlights some of the top issues facing brands on the web today.
__________
A Case Study
False affiliations and online ad fraud are still the leading violations impacting IntegriShield’s online lenders. From January 1-December 31, 2021, 95% of our findings were unauthorized use of our client’s brands on the internet. This is up 19% year over year.
There were 4,521 URLs found to be pages using legitimate lending brand names that were owned and operated by individuals not affiliated or authorized to collect consumer information on behalf of those brands. Besides the increase in the number of sites committing this fraud, the number of repeat violators was also up.
In 2020, 14% of the violations were from repeat offenders. These site owners, who already had their violations identified and taken down over the 3 previous years, put them back up again after the fact. Often the sites hop from hosting company to hosting company until it’s in their best interest to stop putting the websites back up. In 2021, the number of repeat offenders was up to 28%.
Upon discovery, IntegriShield’s remediation team quickly identifies the site owner and sends a series of notices to take down the page content. As part of the process, IntegriShield works with hosting providers to identify those sites who are committing fraud and, in most of the cases, the hosting provider will take the sites down.
We recommend companies consider obtaining trademarks as a means of protecting their brands from bad actors. In all cases, we recommend attempting remediation as a means of documenting the process and outcomes with each site owner. As of December 31, 2021, 75% of the unauthorized use violations have been remediated nationally and internationally with some of the violations still in the remediation process.
__________
While bad actors will continue to infringe on brands, those companies taking a proactive approach will start to see a decline in the number of unauthorized sites, and with it, a decline in the risk of being a target. Being proactive about compliance doesn’t have to be costly or time consuming. Whether you outsource or run it internally, having a written process is the first step.
A compliance monitoring process typically begins with scheduling a monthly review of your brand presence on the web. Once violations of your brand are found, it is very important to have templated communication to quickly send to site owners requesting your brand be removed or the information about it be fixed. Companies should try to work with legitimate sites as much as possible to keep traffic and maintain brand awareness. For those fraudulent sites, it is best to ask for removal. It is important to keep a log of the websites and actions in case you ever need documentation in the future. It also helps to keep screenshots of the violations because the web is always changing.
Compliance, legal, and marketing professionals will always have challenges and risks associated with running a business. Reduce your risk and take control of your brand by regularly monitoring and remediating. Internet fraud has become a top issue over the last few years, but it can be managed. IntegriShield can help.
2021 has been a year of adaptation and preparation in expectation of a significant increase in 2022 regulatory oversight and enforcement.
The DOA, CFPB, FTC, and State agencies have made significant and, in some cases, sweeping changes to their rules and mission. Most are focused on protecting consumers from corporate misrepresentation and deceptive practices, data abuse and monopolies.
It can be argued that the Federal Trade Commission has undergone the most change, starting in April with the loss of their ability to obtain monetary relief through their enforcement of 13(b). This rule interpretation was decided in the Supreme Court case AMG Capital Management LLC v. FTC (1). It had enabled the FTC to acquire hundreds of millions of dollars from businesses through penalties and fees, much of which was issued back to consumers.
Subsequently in June, Ms. Lina Khan was sworn in as the FTC’s Chair and has shifted their focus to support a more aggressive stance(2). Within a month or so, the FTC voted to revise the Penalty Offense Authority rule, which will be used as a replacement for 13(b). It has severe penalties that can reach $43,000 per violation, with a ‘new’ violation on the same issue being generated each non-remediated day after a certain period(3).
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is not far behind, and has become more closely tied to the FTC through the addition of the former FTC commissioner Rohit Chopra as the new CFPB director. Mr. Chopra has a long history as an American consumer advocate and favors stronger oversight of banks and other financial institutions(4)
Early in 2021, the CFPB set the stage by releasing a report that makes approximately 100 recommendations to the Bureau, Congress and state/federal regulators to strengthen consumer protections(5).
Areas of interest for the CFPB have been predatory lending, debt collection practices, consumer discrimination, deceptive advertising, and identify theft.
The Department of Ed has also seen significant change starting with the confirmation of Dr. Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education.
Prior to Dr. Cardona’s confirmation, President Biden said “He will also strive to eliminate long-standing inequities and close racial and socioeconomic opportunity gaps — and expand access to community college, training, and public four-year colleges and universities to improve student success and grow a stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive middle class.(6)
Dr. Cardona has supported that vision and continues to push for more oversight within many areas of edu, including the For-Profit sector which will likely see more change in 2022.
States have also ramped up efforts to protect consumers. California has increased CCPA enforcement along with similar enforcement of laws in Colorado, Virginia, Nevada and Vermont(7). New York is actively protective and more states are considering new laws to address data use and privacy.
European countries are on the forefront of regulation (GDPR, UCPD, CRD) and many US regulators look to their laws when considering how to move forward US regulations. Often considered a leading indicator, organizations like the Advertising Standards Authority (UK) are actively addressing outdated laws and setting standards for the digital world.(8, 9)
All in all, 2022 is shaping up to be a year of adaptation and enforcement. Key sectors like Financial Services, Education, Insurance, Pharma, Direct Selling, CBD, and Online Gambling should expect increased oversight.
Regardless of sector, businesses which accurately and compliantly market their brand, manage consumer data and take steps to prove their efforts will mitigate much of the risk.
Be proactive, prepare for the possibility of regulatory or civil action and sleep well knowing that your company has positioned itself to address risk while fairly and openly connecting with your consumers.
- https://www.crowell.com/NewsEvents/AlertsNewsletters/all/The-Supreme-Court-Limits-FTCs-13b-Powers
- https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/15/senate-confirms-lina-khan-to-become-ftc-commissioner.html
- https://thompsonburton.com/mlmattorney/2021/08/03/lessons-in-missing-the-point-the-mlm-industry-is-now-expressly-targeted-by-the-ftc-for-deceptive-income-and-product-claims/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohit_Chopra
- https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/consumer-financial-protection-bureaus-taskforce-on-federal-consumer-financial-law-releases-its-report/
- https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-race-and-ethnicity-connecticut-coronavirus-pandemic-db2814d3527838d5633648d408d7fab3
- https://www.ncsl.org/research/telecommunications-and-information-technology/state-laws-related-to-internet-privacy.aspx
- https://www.ftadviser.com/protection/2021/12/08/asa-considers-review-of-lead-generation-ads/
- https://www.asa.org.uk/
Leading Compliance Company Wins Top 10 Award
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 29, 2021 — IntegriShield is honored to be a recipient of Financial Service Reviews’ 2021 Top Compliance Service Company recognizing 10 outstanding compliance businesses.
Founded in 2012, IntegriShield is an award-winning RegTech company supporting industries and brands internationally. Financial Service Review recognized IntegriShield for its demonstrated scalability, cost-effectiveness, functional, adaptable, and effective regulatory compliance products. The company’s success was founded in their ability to develop and implement proprietary technology that monitors content across the web and other marketing channels to ensure brands and their consumers are protected from misrepresentation and fraud. IntegriShield is an industry leader delivering actionable intelligence and services saving brands time, money, and reducing risk. “Our technology gives clients unprecedented access and transparency into their brand’s presence across multiple marketing channels in one holistic compliance focused solution,” said IntegriShield President Gayla Huber.
“IntegriShield developed technology based on the needs of both brands and consumers. Our initial intent was to protect clients from regulatory risk. Over time, the IntegriShield team developed what was once a single industry technology and expanded it to be enterprise software for all companies and industries,” commented IntegriShield President Gayla Huber.
About IntegriShield
IntegriShield is one of three companies developed by Blue Chair, LLC to win the 25 Under 25 award. IntegriShield is a software and service company offering custom compliance and remediation solutions to solve online monitoring, call center, and salesforce challenges. Designed to protect companies and their consumers, IntegriShield monitors, tracks and enforces all applicable regulations to assure that our clients engage in consistent and compliant marketing activities. Click here for more information about IntegriShield (opens in a new window) or Blue Chair, LLC (opens in a new window).
Press Contact
Name: Suzanne Palmer
Mobile: 571-332-9778
Email: spalmer@bluechairllc.com
IntegriShield Audio Monitoring Capabilities
The opportunity for anyone to abuse and exploit consumers without a company’s knowledge puts businesses at risk. IntegriShield was created out of the need to protect our clients and their industries. Our services uncover violations so companies can quickly address issues. Each business comes with different objectives and needs. We create custom audio monitoring programs to match the needs of our partners. IntegriShield’s technology ,in conjunction with a dedicated service team will provide any company with the ability to manage a task which otherwise would be costly and time consuming.
Our Approach and Technology
IntegriShield’s audio monitoring is the most effective way to identify violations. We customize our process to meet the operational challenges you face. Quickly identify risky violations and missed opportunities using speech-to-text technology. Speech-to-text monitoring is often used to manage high volumes and quick scoring to manage quality control. If your organization is looking for advanced risk mitigation with detailed scoring of hard to identify issues, manual audio review is the solution for you. Accuracy is a valued aspect of the process. We have checks and balances in place to remove false positives before they reach your team.
A Case Study
Client A has a multi-campus college. Their goal is to reduce the risk of admissions violations during on campus and virtual student interviews. Client A records virtual phone conversations and in-person meetings on campus.
A custom scorecard with 31 points was developed which included categories to address training issues and violations putting the school at risk. The average audio time audited each month is 20% of the total audio by campus and by admissions representative to ensure all representatives are monitored monthly.
In year one, Client A began with an average of 4 violations per file audited and an average campus scorecard rate of 87%. There were 13 severe violations resulting in corrective actions. In year two, we optimized the scorecard criteria to target specific issues needing attention. The scorecard in year two had 33 points. Each point was also assigned a priority to enhance the school’s coaching program. It included severe violations, warnings, coaching and training. These categories allowed admissions leadership to address training in both a group format and individually when coaching or warnings were necessary.
In year two, Client A saw an average of two violations per file audited which was down 50% year over year. Campus scorecards rates averaged 94%, up 7% from the year prior. And severe violations resulting in corrective actions were down to three, which was a 78% reduction. We met with Client A monthly to review findings. Each meeting looking for opportunities to address each point being scored. As part of the process, we began compiling a representative month-over-month report to show progress by rep. We also implemented a report to assist admissions leadership with warnings and coaching. The report included all the file data along with time stamps and the language used resulting in the violation. This allowed leadership to quickly address issues month to month, leading to the improvement in results year over year.
In year three, Client A saw an average of .7 violations per file audited which was down 65% year over year. Campus scorecard rates averaged 98%, up 4% from the year prior. Actions were at three again which was the same year over year. Year three presented unique challenges with all admissions representatives going remote. Within the first month of the change, the scorecard criteria were adjusted to represent a higher volume of virtual audio more accurately. Virtual interviews took about one-third the time of in-person interviews, so the percentage of files was increased by representative.
The service provided to Client A would typically take five specialized staff members to complete in an average month. By outsourcing, Client A has reduced the cost to what would be two staff members. The improvement in admissions has not only reduced the school’s risk, but the client has reported an increase in enrollments year over year.
Commitment
It is our belief both technology and manual processes are critical to providing the best outcomes for our partners. Based on our experience, not all violations are blatant. Our team will work with you to customize a plan to meet your needs and budget. We are committed to offering a custom solution and to developing a unique granular approach unlike any in the industry. Thank you for this opportunity.
Internet Compliance is an essential part of protecting your brand across the web. Businesses invest time and money developing brands and marketing digitally to reach consumers and build trust with their customers. Unfortunately, the Internet creates opportunities for anyone to abuse and exploit companies, misrepresent brands, and take advantage of consumers. You may not even realize your business has been targeted. Today IntegriShield works with over 90 small dollar lender and lead generation brands. We would like to share with you a case study which highlights some of the top issues facing brands on the web today.
__________
A Case Study
False affiliations and online ad fraud are still the leading violations impacting IntegriShield’s online lenders. From January 1-December 31, 2020, 80% of our findings were unauthorized use of our client’s brands on the internet. This is down 8% year over year.
There were 1,757 URLs found to be pages using legitimate lending brand names that were owned and operated by individuals not affiliated or authorized to collect consumer information on behalf of those brands. Besides the decline in the number of sites committing this fraud, the number of repeat violators was also down.
In 2019, 32.4% of the violations were from repeat offenders. These site owners, who already had their violations identified and taken down, put them back up again after the fact. In 2020, the number of repeat offenders was down to 14%.
Upon discovery, IntegriShield’s remediation team quickly identifies the site owner and sends a series of notices to take down the page content. As of December 31, 2020, 47% of the unauthorized use violations have been remediated nationally and internationally. This is down from 87% in 2019. A key challenge with this type of fraud is the number of overseas domain owners who will not comply.
__________
As part of the process, IntegriShield works with hosting providers to identify those sites who are committing fraud and, in about half the cases, the hosting provider will take the sites down. We recommend companies consider obtaining an international trademark as a means of protecting their brands from international bad actors.
Another major challenge in 2020 was the ability to contact site owners. Remediation rates were down year over year for all types of violations due to the pandemic and site owners lack of response. Remediation has continued into 2021 for all violations identified in 2020. As site owners come back online, remediation has begun to catch up to normal levels.
While bad actors will continue to infringe on brands, those companies taking a proactive approach will start to see a decline in the number of unauthorized sites, and with it, a decline in the risk of being a target. Being proactive about compliance doesn’t have to be costly or time consuming. Whether you outsource or run it internally, having a written process is the first step.
A compliance monitoring process typically begins with scheduling a monthly review of your brand presence on the web. Once violations of your brand are found, it is very important to have templated communication to quickly send to site owners requesting your brand be removed or the information about it be fixed. Companies should try to work with legitimate sites as much as possible to keep traffic and maintain brand awareness. For those fraudulent sites, it is best to ask for removal. It is important to keep a log of the websites and actions in case you ever need documentation in the future. It also helps to keep screenshots of the violations because the web is always changing.
Compliance, legal, and marketing professionals will always have challenges and risks associated with running a business. Reduce your risk and take control of your brand by regularly monitoring and remediating. Internet fraud has become a top issue over the last few years, but it can be managed. IntegriShield can help.
ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
Twitter
Threads