Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced on March 18 that Oklahoma, along with attorneys general from twelve other states, has filed a lawsuit against OneMain Financial, Inc. and related entities. The suit alleges that the lender charged consumers across the country hundreds of millions of dollars in undisclosed fees and interest through hidden insurance policies and add-on products.
The case is significant because it addresses concerns about transparency in lending practices and aims to protect consumers from unexpected costs. According to the lawsuit, OneMain Financial operates 19 branches in Oklahoma and advertises loans with clear terms but allegedly includes costly add-ons without proper disclosure.
Drummond said, “Oklahomans deserve honesty and transparency when they walk into a lender’s office. Lenders should not be hiding costly products in the fine print or rushing borrowers through contracts. My office will continue to hold companies accountable when they attempt to take advantage of hardworking consumers.” The complaint claims that OneMain does not advertise its add-on products, pressures employees to include them, rushes customers through lengthy contracts—sometimes on smartphones where text is hard to read—and misleads borrowers during refinancing by concealing key terms.
The lawsuit seeks restitution for affected consumers, penalties for state law violations, release of unlawful profits, an order stopping these practices, removal of negative credit information related to the add-ons, and withdrawal of legal actions against customers regarding these products. Attorneys general from Colorado, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin have joined Drummond in this action.
Drummond leads the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office leveraging extensive legal experience according to his official biography. The office focuses on combating crime, ensuring government transparency, strengthening tribal relations and upholding the rule of law according to the official biography. It also advocates for policies supporting energy interests and educational safeguards while pursuing tougher laws on crimes such as rape and drug distribution according to the official biography.
The Attorney General collaborates with state and federal partners against organized crime according to the official biography, operates within public legal services according to the official biography, and maintains operations throughout Oklahoma according to the official biography.
Consumers who believe they may have been affected by OneMain Financial’s business practices are encouraged to file a complaint with the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General Consumer Protection Unit at 1-833-681-1895.
