Consumers face growing risks as CFPB financial safeguards crumble

Recent policies that advocates hoped would be too popular to touch are being targeted for elimination by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s new leaders.

Rob Haskell was hoping a new rule would shield his credit report from thousands of dollars in bills for recent heart procedures. Instead, he’s bracing for impact from President Donald Trump’s push to slash financial regulations.

“I’ve always had medical debt hanging over me but, you know, it’s just completely unmanageable,” Haskell said in late May. He was speaking to NBC News from a hospital bed at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Washington, days before an open heart surgery that threatened to yield another steep bill.

“So, to the moon on that one,” he sighed.

A lot of people don’t necessarily know about the CFPB and may not understand how it’s being attacked, but they will be affected.

Adam Rust, consumer federation of america