September 30, 2014: CFPB ordered a Michigan title insurance agency, Lighthouse Title, to pay a civil penalty of $200,000 for what they (‘The Bureau’) believed were illegal quid pro quo referral agreements/marketing service agreements (MSAs). The Bureau’s interpretation was that Lighthouse Title violated the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), which prohibits, among other things, providing something of value to any person with an agreement or understanding that the person will refer real estate settlement services. Under the terms of the consent order, Lighthouse Title was required to terminate any existing MSAs with companies in a position to refer business to Lighthouse, and was prohibited from entering into new MSAs with any such companies.