You can read our previous blog post on trigger leads and how to reduce them by CLICKING HERE.
In the world of mortgage lending, trigger leads have long been a point of contention. While some praise them for their potential to foster competition and secure better rates for applicants, most oppose them for inundating borrowers with unwanted solicitations. However, developments in regulations over the past few years are refining rules for trigger leads in the pursuit of stronger data privacy and consumer protections. Most recently, the FCC announced a new ruling on December 13, 2023 that will effectively close the “lead generator loophole.”
The FCC’s adopted rule to close the lead generator loophole marks a significant change in the way consumer information is shared with businesses through comparison shopping websites. Under this rule, consumers must provide individual consent for their information to be shared with each business, effectively closing the loophole that allowed for the sale of a single lead to multiple businesses at once. This move aims to address consumer frustrations with receiving an overwhelming number of calls and texts after submitting an online lead.
How Will This Ruling Impact Borrowers and Businesses?
- Mortgage applicants can expect relief from the inundation of solicitation calls. The previous influx of unwanted calls and texts from solicitors has been a source of frustration for many applicants, but the FCC’s actions aim to mitigate this issue, ultimately enhancing the borrower experience.
- Requiring businesses to obtain one-to-one consent before contacting new leads. The rule will likely reshape lead strategies for businesses built on this type of lead generation model and challenge the operational models of comparison-shopping sites due to compliance regulations.