SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) — A government consumer bureau alleges a California business and its owner are deceiving customers into paying a fee to apply for student financial aid.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit on Oct. 29 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California against Global Financial Support, Inc., doing business as Student Financial Resource Center as well as College Financial Advisory; and owner Armond Aria for allegedly violating the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010.
The CFPB alleges that since at least January 2011 Aria has been persuading high school seniors, enrolled college students and their families to pay a fee to participate in a student financial aid “program.” As part of this program, Aria allegedly promises to match students with targeted financial aid opportunities and apply for financial aid for students. The bureau alleges that Amir actually does not provide consumers with the promised student financial aid assistance.
The bureau is asking the court to permanently prevent Amir from committing future violations of the Consumer Financial Protection Act. It also wants the court to issue injunctive and ancillary relief and financial penalties, as well as cover the costs of the court case. The CFPB is represented by its Enforcement Director Anthony Alexis, Deputy Enforcement Director Cara Petersen, and Nina H. Schichor and Laura Schneider.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California Case number 3:15-cv-02440-GPC-WVG