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# CFPB Sues Comerica Bank Over Alleged Failures in Direct Express Prepaid Card Programme
- URL: https://www.theglobalbanker.com/cfpb-sues-comerica-bank-direct-express-prepaid-card-programme-failures/
- Published: 2024-12-06T23:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-08T13:09:15.000Z
- Description: The CFPB filed a complaint against Comerica Bank alleging systematic failures protecting 3.4 million Direct Express prepaid cardholders — predominantly elderly and disabled benefit recipients.
- Author: TGB Editorial Team
- Tags: Regulations, Americas, #archive

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a complaint against Comerica Bank on 6 December 2024, alleging that the Dallas-based institution engaged in unfair acts and practices in its administration of the Direct Express prepaid debit card programme. The programme, operated on behalf of the federal government, serves approximately 3.4 million cardholders who receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and Veterans Affairs benefits — a population that is predominantly elderly or disabled and that frequently relies on the Direct Express card as its primary mechanism for accessing federal payments.

Comerica Bank is a Texas banking association and wholly owned subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated, headquartered in Dallas. The CFPB's complaint was filed in federal court and cited alleged violations of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act alongside its implementing regulation, Regulation E. The Bureau characterised the alleged conduct as systematic rather than incidental, arguing that Comerica's failures collectively left millions of financially vulnerable consumers without adequate recourse when problems arose with their accounts.

#### FAILURES IN SERVICE, DISPUTES AND FRAUD PROTECTION

The CFPB alleged that Comerica deliberately disconnected almost 25 million customer-service calls, charged illegal ATM fees to more than 1 million cardholders entitled to free withdrawals, and mishandled fraud complaints and disputes. 

#### DIRECT EXPRESS PROGRAMME AND REGULATORY CONTEXT

The Direct Express card was established by the US Department of the Treasury to deliver federal benefits electronically to recipients without conventional bank accounts. Comerica has administered the programme on behalf of the Treasury since 2008\. 

The CFPB asked the court to halt the alleged conduct, order refunds to affected cardholders and impose a civil money penalty, without specifying an amount. Comerica said on 6 December that it would continue to vigorously defend its record as financial agent for the Direct Express programme; it had itself sued the CFPB in November, calling the Bureau's probe overreaching. The CFPB announced the case under the headline "CFPB Sues Comerica Bank for Systematically Failing Disabled and Older Americans".