A STRING of financial institutions are facing class actions by a growing number of law firms as consumers seek recourse over claims of inflated car loan interest rates. The first to face court is Westpac, against which one legal firm involved in one of the class actions is claiming 400,000 consumers are involved. Maurice Blackburn Lawyers told GoAutoNews Premium that the current action was against Westpac but that loans by other financiers were being reviewed. A second law firm with class action is Shine Lawyers which has also launched action against Westpac and its subsidiaries. Maurice Blackburn last week started the Westpac class action in the Victorian Supreme Court. In its statement, it alleges that Westpac and St George Finance "colluded with car dealers to sting consumers with unfair high interest loans in Australia's multi-billion dollar car finance industry".