Connecticut Attorney General William Tong testified in support of legislation to grant his office investigative authority under the Consumer Financial Protection Act to address widespread consumer complaints following the merger of People’s United Bank and M&T Bank, including issues with account access, unauthorized transactions, and payment processing errors.
In-house legal teams should review vendor and customer agreements with M&T Bank, particularly account servicing contracts, loan servicing agreements, and digital banking platform agreements. Focus on clauses governing account access rights, automatic payment processing, fee disclosures, power of attorney acceptance, and merger integration protocols. Specific changes may include adding clear timelines for system conversions, mandatory notice periods for payment date changes, explicit requirements for honoring pre-existing legal authorities (like POAs), and enhanced dispute resolution mechanisms for merger-related errors. Agreements should also incorporate compliance with Consumer Financial Protection Act standards for handling consumer complaints during integrations.
Entity
M&T Bank
Also known as: M&T
Industry
Financial ServicesOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2023-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-seeks-banking-reforms-in-aftermath-of-mt-conversion
ag tmy ba hb 6681 aac oag and dodd frank 22123 f.pdf?rev=125
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2022/ag-tmy-ba-hb-6681---aac-oag-and-dodd-frank-22123-f.pdf?rev=125bb5d0d95f458e9c60cd322b9dee15&hash=F38D317AE80537839B01A9BAB706E0FD
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
$500K
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced settlements with SunRun, Inc., Elevate Solar Solutions, and two salespeople over allegations of deceptive solar sales, including impersonating consumers and locking homeowners into long-term contracts without consent. SunRun must pay $300,000 and provide consumer relief; Elevate and the salespeople face a stated $200,000 penalty, with $100,000 suspended subject to ongoing compliance.
$8.0M
Connecticut announced an $8 million settlement with Mylan over allegations that it used agreements to delay generic EpiPen competitors and took other actions that inflated prices. Mylan also agreed to provide 10,000 free EpiPens; the release states that Mylan denies wrongdoing.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief challenging DHS’s policy and practice of conducting warrantless civil immigration arrests. The press release describes a court challenge, not a privacy enforcement action or monetary penalty.
$625K
Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.
$2.6M
Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.
Connecticut joined a coalition of state attorneys general filing a notice in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy proceedings, raising concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and the sensitive information it holds. The states seek protections for children and consumers if the company’s business or assets are sold or transferred; the filing does not impose a fine or other remedy.