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On April 23, we will release a timely and wide-ranging episode of the Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast featuring Sam Levine, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). In this episode, Commissioner Levine offers an inside look at how New York City is stepping up its consumer protection efforts at a moment of significant diminishment at the federal level, particularly the CFPB.
Commissioner Levine was appointed by by Mayor Zohran Mamdani shortly after his term began in January of this year. The centerpiece of the Mayor’s platform when he campaigned for mayor was consumer affordability. The initiatives launched by Commissioner Levine are one of the first implementations of the Mayor’s affordable platform.
A focal point of the discussion is DCWP’s newly amended debt collection regulations—the SHIELD Rule—which Levine describes as “the strongest debt collection consumer protection in the United States.” The rule goes well beyond federal requirements, imposing a hard cap on communications, expanding dispute rights, and requiring robust documentation. As Levine explains, “Consumers can dispute debt at any time…in any mode of communication,” and collectors must verify debts within strict timeframes or cease collection efforts altogether.
The conversation also highlights the rule’s broad scope. Unlike federal law, the SHIELD Rule applies not only to third-party collector and debt buyers but also to many creditors collecting their own debts, and even to out-of-state entities collecting from New York City residents. As Levine put it, “If you’re doing business with a New Yorker, you are subject to our jurisdiction.”
Beyond debt collection, the episode explores New York City’s aggressive push against so-called “junk fees” and “subscription traps,” key priorities under recent mayoral initiatives. Levine emphasized the real-world impact of these practices: “Many companies are making it extremely easy to sign up for subscriptions and extremely difficult to cancel,” while hidden fees continue to inflate costs for consumers at checkout.
DCWP is already acting. The agency has issued what Levine calls “the strongest hotel junk fee prohibition in America,” targeting hidden resort fees and requiring upfront price transparency. At the same time, enforcement actions and potential future rulemakings signal that “everything is on the table” in addressing deceptive pricing practices.
Perhaps most notably, Levine frames these initiatives within a broader shift in the regulatory landscape. With federal agencies facing constraints, he underscores the growing importance of state and local enforcement: “The CFPB might not be what it used to be… but here at DCWP, we are really stepping up our oversight and enforcement.”
For industry participants, the message is clear: New York City is asserting itself as a major player in consumer protection, and compliance expectations are evolving rapidly.
Stay tuned for the full episode on April 23. It will be available on our firm’s website, and other major podcast platforms.
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