Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) — Question 253

First National is developing a consumer checking account that can access a line of credit. This is the first time the bank has ever had such a product, although this type of credit facility has been popular with other banks in town. To determine what interest rate to charge on this account, an officer of First National called some of his friends at other local banks offering this type of credit and asked several questions, including the interest rate charged on this type of account and what internal factors the banks use to set the rate. After obtaining this information, First National determines that it could charge approximately 2 percent more than it originally planned. Is there anything wrong with this course of action?

Answer options

• A. Yes. Communicating with competitors for purposes of setting prices is wrong.
• B. No. Communication itself is never wrong regardless of the subject matter.
• C. Yes. The bank should have disguised its identity in calling its competitors.
• D. No. The bank could probably have determined the prices eventually without calling the banks directly.

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct answer is A because discussing prices and setting rates with competitors can lead to price-fixing, which is illegal and unethical. Option B is incorrect as communication can be inappropriate depending on the context. Option C is wrong because disguising identity does not make the act of collusion acceptable. Option D is also incorrect; while the bank could have eventually researched prices, direct communication with competitors is problematic.