Cash App owner Block to pay $175M over fraud caused by lax consumer protection practices
By 
Adrianne Appel2025-01-17T17:43:00
Block, the owner of Cash App and Square, will pay $175 million to settle allegations that its lax consumer protection practices put customers at high risk of fraud, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) said Thursday.
Banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions are subject to oversight by federal agencies, to ensure they follow rules intended to prevent fraud and lead to fairness for customers, investors, and competitors.
Payment apps have surged in popularity and, until recently, received little oversight because agencies weren’t clear whether and how existing rules could be applied to these novel entities. Payment apps now process over 13 billion transactions annually.
THIS IS MEMBERS-ONLY CONTENT
You are not logged in and do not have access to members-only content.
If you are already a registered user or a member, SIGN IN now.
Related articles
-
News BriefNavy Federal Credit Union to pay $95M in fines, redress over ‘surprise’ overdraft fees
Navy Federal Credit Union will pay a $15 million fine and return $80 million in “surprise” overdraft fees to its members to resolve an enforcement action from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
-
ArticleFraud risks grow as cost of living soars
Just as fraud grew during the Covid-19 pandemic, so will it now flourish with prices at historic highs. The question is just how widespread this fraud surge will prove to be and what can be done to help prevent it.
-
ArticleCash App breached by former employee; 8.2M affected
Approximately 8.2 million U.S. customers of Cash App Investing have been notified of a data breach carried out by a former employee of the mobile payment service provider.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
News BriefSEC’s Uyeda: ‘Enforcement is the wrong way’ to handle off-channel communications
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Mark Uyeda told an audience of investment advisers that the SEC will no longer prioritize stand-alone enforcement actions for violations of the SEC’s rules on off-channel communications.
-
News BriefAdobe agrees to $150M settlement over alleged cancellation fee violations
Adobe agreed to a $150 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over accusations that it concealed software termination fees and made it difficult for customers to cancel.
-
ArticleU.K. competition regulator ‘very likely’ to use new enforcement powers despite government’s pro-growth agenda
New powers granted to the U.K.’s main competition watchdog will result in greater scrutiny, tougher enforcement, and a stark warning for companies to review their sales and marketing promotions—especially since some practices have been pushed firmly into the spotlight thanks to legislation that came into effect last year.