The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Bluestem Brands Inc., Bluestem Enterprises Inc. and Bluestem Sales Inc. have filed an administrative consent order.

The order resolves the CFPB's allegations that after consumers made payments to the Bluestem companies on debts that the companies had already sold, the Bluestem companies substantially delayed sending those payments to the third-party debt buyers.

It requires the companies "to improve their processes to timely identify and forward customer payments on accounts that they have sold to third-party debt buyers."

The Bluestem companies will also pay a $200,000 civil money penalty.