March 2016

Servicemembers 2015: 

A Year in Review

Review of complaints received from servicemembers, veterans and 

their families and outreach and enforcement efforts
1 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Message from Holly 

Petraeus

Assistant Director for the Office of Servicemember Affairs

Hello and welcome from the Office of Servicemember Affairs (OSA) at the Consumer Financial 

Protection Bureau (CFPB)!

This is our fourth annual complaint report detailing the data and trends surrounding complaints 

submitted to the CFPB by servicemembers, veterans and their families. As we have noted in 

previous reports, our complaint volume has steadily risen since July 2011 when we first started 

taking complaints. In 2014, we received more than 17,000 complaints from servicemembers, 

veterans, and their family members and, as you will see in this report, 2015 has only grown from 

there – logging over 19,000 complaints from the military community. Due to the steady increase 

in volume, we’ve chosen this year to change to a format that highlights just the complaints 

received in the past year (2015). I hope you find it a helpful view into the challenges 

servicemembers, veterans, and their families are facing in the current financial marketplace.

Throughout 2015, debt collection complaints continued to be the most numerous, totaling over 

46 percent of all complaints received from the military community. When reviewing complaints 
2 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

submitted in 2015, the Bureau found that servicemembers were nearly twice as likely to submit 

complaints about debt collection than the general population who also submitted complaints. 

While this could be due to a variety of factors, one issue which we have highlighted in the past1 is 

the concern that unpaid debts can threaten a military career. Because of this, we encourage all 

servicemembers to diligently check their credit reports and proactively protect their credit files2

while they are away from home. 

The CFPB was involved in many enforcement actions in 2015, four of which particularly 

impacted servicemembers. These enforcement actions, detailed in Section 2, provided millions 

of dollars in relief to servicemembers and their families and helped to highlight systemic 

vulnerabilities of servicemembers in the financial marketplace. For instance, the Bureau brought 

an action3 against Security National Automotive Acceptance Company, LLC (SNAAC), an Ohio 

auto lender, for engaging in unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts or practices in violation of the 

Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, including: threatening to contact servicemembers’ 

commanding officers regarding unpaid debt; disclosing servicemembers’ debts to commanding 

officers; and characterizing delinquencies as military violations that would subject the 

servicemembers to discipline. SNAAC was ordered4 to refund or credit $2.28 million to 

servicemembers and other consumers who were allegedly harmed and to pay a penalty of $1 

million. A separate district court stipulated judgment and order5 bans SNAAC from using 

aggressive tactics, such as threats to contact commanding officers, to coerce servicemembers 

into making payments. 

 

1 http://www.consumerfinance.gov/blog/are-unpaid-debts-a-military-career-killer/

2 http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201508_cfpb_fraud-protection-tools-to-help-safeguard-servicemembers.pdf

3 http://www.consumerfinance.gov/newsroom/cfpb-orders-servicemember-auto-loan-company-to-pay-3-28-

million-for-illegal-debt-collection-tactics/

4 http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201510_cfpb_consent-order-administrative-snaac.pdf

5 http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201510_cfpb_stipulated-final-judgment-and-order-snaac.pdf
3 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

The mission of the CFPB’s Office of Servicemember Affairs is to work on consumer financial 

challenges affecting military personnel, veterans, and their families. Those who serve, or have 

served, our country should not have to worry about falling victim to unfair, deceptive, or abusive 

financial practices. This report provides details concerning complaints received throughout 2015 

and the military-specific enforcement actions brought by the Bureau, and also describes the 

outreach and educational initiatives OSA has done in the past year.

It’s my honor to represent the military and their families here at the CFPB and to make sure that 

their concerns are heard – and that we do something about them.

Sincerely, 

Hollister K. Petraeus

Assistant Director for the Office of Servicemember Affairs
4 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Table of contents

Message from Holly Petraeus ....................................................................................1

Table of contents.........................................................................................................4

1. Fulfilling OSA’s mission ......................................................................................5

Monitoring Complaints ..................................................................................... 5

Outreach .......................................................................................................... 25

2. Enforcement........................................................................................................29

Conducting investigations...............................................................................29

Enforcement actions .......................................................................................29

3. Conclusion ..........................................................................................................32

Appendix A ................................................................................................................33

Appendix B .............................................................................................................................35

Appendix C ................................................................................................................39
5 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

1. Fulfilling OSA’s mission

The challenges consumers face in navigating and obtaining financial products and services are a 

driving force behind the CFPB’s efforts to make consumer financial markets work better. 

Listening and responding to consumers are integral components of our mission, and the Bureau 

provides numerous ways for consumers to make their voices heard. In addition to the complaint 

review below, please reference Appendix A and Appendix B for more information on the 

complaint process and the public Consumer Complaint Database.

Monitoring complaints

The Dodd-Frank Act created the Office of Servicemember Affairs (OSA). OSA strives to see that 

military personnel and their families receive a strong financial education so they can make 

better-informed consumer decisions; to monitor their complaints about consumer financial 

products or services; and to coordinate the efforts of Federal and State agencies to improve 

consumer protection measures relating to those products or services for military families. OSA 

works for Active-Duty, Reserve, and National Guard personnel as well as for military retirees, 

veterans, and their families (collectively referred to as “servicemembers” in this report). 
6 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Complaints received by the CFPB

Between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2015, the CFPB received approximately 271,600

consumer complaints.6 Approximately 71 percent of all consumer complaints were submitted 

through the CFPB’s website and 7 percent via telephone calls. Referrals accounted for 12 percent

of all complaints received, with the remainder submitted by mail, email, and fax.7

Servicemember complaints received by the CFPB

Between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2015, approximately 19,200 complaints were 

submitted by servicemembers. Approximately 77 percent of all servicemember complaints were 

submitted through the CFPB’s website and 15 percent via telephone calls. Referrals accounted 

for 4 percent of all servicemember complaints received, with the remainder submitted by mail, 

email, and fax.

 

6 Unless otherwise noted or the context suggests otherwise, the various tables and complaint tabulations appearing 

herein cover this period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

7 This analysis excludes multiple complaints submitted by a given consumer on the same issue, and whistleblower tips. 

All data are current through December 31, 2015. Since launching Consumer Response operations on July 21, 2011 

through December 31, 2015, the CFPB received approximately 790,000 consumer complaints.
7 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

FIGURE 1: 2015 SERVICEMEMBER COMPLAINTS BY PRODUCT

TABLE 1: SERVICEMEMBER COMPLAINTS BY PRODUCT BY YEAR

Product 2014 complaint 

volume

2015 complaint 

volume

% change from 

2014 to 2015

Total 

complaints

Debt collection 8,700 8,900 2% 20,500

Mortgage 2,500 2,800 10% 9,900

Credit reporting 1,600 2,200 35% 4,900

Consumer loan 900 1,400 59% 2,900

Bank account 

and services 1,100 1,100 2%8 3,600

 

8 Complaints are rounded to the nearest hundred, so percentages (which are based on non-rounded values) may 

appear inconsistent with complaint volume

Debt Collection

Mortgage

Credit Reporting

Consumer Loan

Bank Account or Services

Credit Card

Payday loan

Student Loans

Prepaid

Other Financial Services

Money Transfer 0.8%

46%

15%

11%

7%

6%

6%

3%

2%

1%

1%
8 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Product 2014 complaint 

volume

2015 complaint 

volume

% change from 

2014 to 2015

Total 

complaints

Credit card 800 1,100 29% 3,600

Payday loan 600 500 -2% 1,200

Student loans 400 400 7% 1,100

Prepaid 100 300 226% 3009

Other financial 

service 100 200 179% 300

Money transfer 100 200 73% 300

Total10 17,000 19,200 13% 48,700

The tables and figures presented below show complaints by type, actions taken, company 

responses.11

Debt collection complaints 

Figure 2 shows the types of debt collection complaints reported by servicemembers –

approximately 8,900 debt collection complaints were handled by the CFPB in 2015.

 

9 Due to rounding to the nearest hundred, total complaint volume may not appear to directly correspond to yearly 

values.

10 Total column includes complaints where no specific consumer financial product was selected by servicemembers 

for2014 and 2015.

11 Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
9 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

FIGURE 2: 2015 TYPES OF DEBT COLLECTION COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

When compared to the general population who files complaints, servicemembers’

complaints are nearly twice as likely to be about debt collection. As Figure 2 

illustrates, the most common type of debt collection complaint is about continued attempts to 

collect a debt that the servicemember believes is not owed. In many of these cases, the attempt 

to collect the debt is not itself the problem; rather, servicemembers assert that the calculation of 

the amount of underlying debt is inaccurate or unfair. Complaints about debt collectors’ 

communication tactics (telephone collections especially) are also still very common. In addition 

to the numerous complaints about collection calls, which servicemembers say are too frequent 

or at inconvenient times of the day, there was a significant number of complaints about calls to 

third parties or calls to the servicemember’s place of employment, including their chain of 

command. 

One specific type of debt that is often mentioned is medical debt. Medical debt concerns 

comprise 13 percent of servicemember debt collection complaints. The vast majority of our 

medical debt complaints come from our veteran population. We routinely hear from veterans 

who are struggling with debt collectors attempting to collect debts stemming from medical bills 

that should have been paid for by insurance. For example, many veterans leave the hospital 

believing their services were covered by their VA health insurance or Medicare/Medicaid, only 

to be hounded later by debt collectors requesting payment for these same services. These 

Continued attempts to collect debt not owed

Communication tactics

Disclosure verification of debt

False statements or representation

Taking or threatening an illegal action

Improper contact or sharing of info

44%

17%

14%

10%

10%

6%
10 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

veterans are often left stressed and worried about their credit report due to these potentially

erroneous collections.12 

Mortgage complaints

Figure 3 shows the types of mortgage complaints reported by servicemembers – approximately 

2,800 mortgage complaints were handled by the CFPB in 2015. 

FIGURE 3: TYPES OF MORTGAGE COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS BY YEAR

In years past, the most common type of mortgage complaint involved problems servicemembers

faced when they were unable to make payments, such as issues relating to loan modifications, 

collections, or foreclosures. While that is still true for complaints in 2015, the frequency of these 

complaints is significantly lower. Figure 3 illustrates this fact by comparing the 2015 

 

12 Medical debt collection problems are widespread throughout the general consumer population, see 

http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201412_cfpb_reports_consumer-credit-medical-and-non-medicalcollections.pdf

Problems when unable to pay 2015

2014

Making payments 2015

2014

Applying for the loan 2015

2014

Signing the agreement 2015

2014

Receiving a credit offer 2015

2014

40%

48%

38%

33%

12%

10%

6%

5%

4%

3%
11 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

servicemember mortgage complaint data to that of 2014. Even though the frequency was lower 

in 2015, servicemembers’ concerns when unable to pay are consistent with previous years’. In 

particular, servicemembers continued to experience troubles with effective loss mitigation 

options when receiving Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. 

Increasing a small amount from last year are servicemember complaints about the mortgage 

origination process (i.e., credit decision, underwriting and settlement process and costs). One 

issue of note in the origination process involves complaints submitted by veterans with a loan 

guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA Home Loan program13 is 

designed to help eligible borrowers become homeowners by guaranteeing their home loan with 

their lender. As with any type of home loan, once the loan has been made the consumer often 

relies on their servicer to explain the program and ensure they are receiving all the benefits 

associated with the program. We often hear from our disabled veteran consumers that they are 

struggling to receive a refund from their servicer of a funding fee they paid in connection with 

their VA home loan. Generally, all veterans who receive a VA home loan are charged a funding 

fee. Funding fees can range from 1.25 percent to over 3 percent of the total home loan. However, 

a veteran with a service-connected disability is not obligated to pay this fee and if they are 

charged the fee in error, their lender must provide a refund or a principal reduction if the fee 

was financed. 

“As a 100 percent disabled US combat veteran, I am informed by VA that the 

terms of my VA mortgage entitle me to a refund of the funding fee the 

mortgage provider received when I took out the loan. ... Now, [company], 

despite numerous phone calls and requests for update, as well as an in-person 

meeting and referrals to VA contacts, has not returned this funding fee to me. I 

need help with [this company], which [is] in my view taking money from 

veterans in order to further their own gains.”

 

13 http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/
12 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Credit reporting complaints 

Figure 4 shows the types of credit reporting complaints reported by servicemembers –

approximately 2,200 credit reporting complaints were handled by the CFPB in 2015. 

FIGURE 4: TYPES OF CREDIT REPORTING COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

This figure illustrates that the most common type of credit reporting complaint is about 

incorrect information appearing on the consumer’s credit report, such as information that does 

not belong to the consumer, incorrect account status, or incorrect personal information. Of the 

approximately 2,200 such complaints submitted by servicemembers in 2015, approximately 

1,700 (77 percent) were about the three nationwide credit reporting companies.

Many active-duty servicemembers who submit credit reporting complaints highlight issues with 

fraud and identity theft. Many of these servicemembers complain that they return home from 

deployment or temporary duty stations to find fraudulent activity on their credit report. They 

often struggle to rectify the situation with both their creditors and the credit reporting 

companies. 

“I was recently on XXXX reviewing my [credit] information and I noticed 

[number] hard inquiries, as well as a credit card opened apparently in my 

name with [amount] tacked onto it. Until today, I have never heard of the 

bank nor opened any new accounts, seeing as I am deployed at the moment. 

Please help me resolve this. Thank you.”

Incorrect information on credit report

Credit reporting company's investigation

Improper use of credit report

Unable to obtain report or score

Credit monitoring or identity protection

72%

11%

8%

4%

4%
13 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

The servicemember quoted above and many others who are in a similar situation could have 

potentially benefited from placing an Active Duty Alert on their credit file. For more information

see our Fraud Alert Fact Sheet.14

Consumer loan complaints

Figure 5 shows the types of consumer loan complaints, such as complaints about installment 

loans, vehicle loans and leases, personal lines of credit, and pawn and title loans reported by 

servicemembers – approximately 1,400 consumer loan complaints were handled by the CFPB in 

2015.15

FIGURE 5: TYPES OF CONSUMER LOAN COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

The figure illustrates that the most common type of consumer loan complaint pertains to 

managing the loan, lease, or line of credit. Other common types of complaints address problems 

consumers have when they are unable to pay (including issues related to debt collection, 

bankruptcy, and default) and problems when taking out the loan or lease, such as term changes.

 

14 http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201508_cfpb_fraud-protection-tools-to-help-safeguard-servicemembers.pdf

15 The Bureau began handling complaints about pawn and title loans as part of the consumer loan complaint category 

on July 19, 2014.

Managing the loan, lease or line of credit

Problems when you are unable to pay

Taking out loan or lease or account terms and changes

Shopping for a loan, lease, or line of credit

Charged fees or interest I didn’t expect

Other

43%

23%

21%

9%

2%

2%
14 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Due to the nature of the military lifestyle, servicemembers frequently report unique struggles 

with their auto loans. We have heard from servicemembers who, after receiving orders to move 

overseas, discovered their loan contract did not allow them to take their car out of the country. 

Consumers express frustration over having to pay to store their car at home or deal with selling 

their car while they are gone. They were often completely unaware of this restriction when they 

took out the loan. 

“I am serving [in the military]. My family and I have received orders to report to 

[overseas]. We are permitted to take a vehicle with us to XXXX. The company which 

ships the vehicles requires either a clear title, or a letter of approval from a vehicle lien 

holder...I contacted [company] and requested a letter of authorization to ship my 

vehicle to XXXX. I was told they would not be providing me such a letter. ... Having a 

vehicle in XXXX would help my wife and children tremendously. If I am not allowed to 

ship my vehicle, I have no idea how or where I would store the vehicle for the three 

years we will be stationed in XXXX...Even if such a clause exists in their financing 

agreement prohibiting transporting vehicles outside the country, I believe such a clause 

would be unconscionable for military servicemembers...I would have never financed 

with [company] had I known they would deny me the ability to take my vehicle with me 

to an [overseas] duty station.”

Bank account and service complaints

Figure 6 shows the types of bank account and service complaints, such as complaints about 

checking and savings accounts, reported by servicemembers – approximately 1,100 bank 

account and service complaints were handled by the CFPB in 2015. 

FIGURE 6: TYPES OF BANK ACCOUNT AND SERVICE COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

As the above figure illustrates, the most common type of bank account and service complaint 

relates to opening, closing, or managing the account. These complaints address issues such as 

account maintenance fees, legal processing fees for judgments and levies, changes in account 

Account management

Deposits and withdrawals

Sending or receiving payments

Problems caused by low funds

Using a debit or ATM card

44%

28%

10%

10%

8%
15 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

terms, confusing marketing, early withdrawal penalties for certificates of deposit, and 

involuntary account closures. Other common complaints relate to deposit and withdrawal 

issues, such as transaction holds, the company’s right to use offset to remove funds from a 

deposit account, and unauthorized debit card charges. In this area, many servicemembers are 

frustrated by companies’ handling of error disputes and requests to stop payment on 

preauthorized electronic debits. Another common type of complaint relates to problems caused 

by a consumer’s low account balance, including overdraft fees, bounced checks, charged-off 

accounts, and negative reporting to credit reporting agencies. In this area, many 

servicemembers are frustrated by the way that the financial institution chooses the order in 

which deposits and withdrawals are posted to servicemembers’ accounts, which seems to 

maximize overdraft fees.

Credit card complaints

Figure 7 shows the most common types of servicemember credit card complaints handled by the 

CFPB in 2015. About 77 percent of the approximately 1,100 credit card complaints fell into these 

10 categories.

FIGURE 7: MOST COMMON CREDIT CARD COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

As the above figure illustrates, billing disputes are the most common type of credit card 

complaint. Consumers continue to complain that they are confused and frustrated by the billing

process and by their limited ability to challenge inaccuracies on their monthly credit card billing 

statements outside of disputing the charge directly with the company and/or submitting a 

complaint with the CFPB.

Billing disputes

Other

Identity theft / Fraud / Embezzlement

Closing/Cancelling account

Delinquent account

APR or interest rate

Customer service / Customer relations

Advertising and marketing

Credit card protection / Debt protection

Credit determination

15%

13%

12%

7%

6%

6%

5%

5%

4%

3%
16 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

A specific type of billing issue we hear about from servicemembers is their frustration with 

introductory promotions offered when opening a new credit card account. One of the most 

common promotions is the zero-percent introductory interest rate card which allows a 

consumer to make purchases and carry a balance on their credit card for a specific period of 

time without accruing any interest on that balance. Servicemembers complain that they were 

not aware of all the terms of these programs – specifically, the requirement that the entire 

balance be paid in full at the end of the introductory period, and the fact that, if it is not, interest 

will be retroactively charged on all purchases since the card was opened. This is true regardless 

of any payments that may have been made during the introductory period, if the payments don’t 

result in the entire balance being paid before the end of the introductory period. Many of these 

servicemembers report that they made their minimum payment or more in good faith and 

believed that after the zero percent period ended, they would be charged interest only on 

whatever balance was left; however, they were not prepared for the shock of being charged all 

the interest that would have accumulated from day one, as if they never had a zero percent deal, 

at all. For more information on the Consumer Credit Card Market, read the Bureau’s most 

recent report here.16

Payday loan complaints 

Figures 8 shows the types of payday loan complaints reported by servicemembers –

approximately 500 payday loan complaints were handled by the CFPB in 2015.

 

16 http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201512_cfpb_report-the-consumer-credit-card-market.pdf
17 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

FIGURE 8: TYPES OF PAYDAY LOAN COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

Of the 500 payday loan complaints submitted by servicemembers, approximately 56 percent 

were about problems consumers experienced after obtaining a payday loan online. 

Approximately 17 percent reported problems after obtaining a payday loan in person or at a 

store. For the remaining approximately 28 percent of complaints, the consumer did not indicate 

how the loan was obtained.

Many servicemembers also submit debt collection complaints related to payday loans. The cost 

and structure of a particular loan can make it difficult for servicemembers to repay. This topic 

and other short-term financing problems for servicemembers are covered in the November 2015 

Snapshot report found here.17

Student loan complaints

Figure 9 shows the types of student loan complaints reported by servicemembers –

approximately 400 student loan complaints were handled by the CFPB in 2015. 

 

17 http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201511_cfpb_snapshot-of-servicemember-complaints.pdf

Fraud or scam

Other transaction issues

Money was not available when promised

Other service issues

Wrong amount charged or received

Incorrect or missing disclosures or info

51%

21%

12%

8%

4%

4%
18 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

FIGURE 9: TYPES OF STUDENT LOAN COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

The most common type of student loan complaint concerns problems consumers confront when 

they are dealing with lenders or servicers. Consumers also report problems when they are 

unable to pay, such as issues related to default, student debt collection, and bankruptcy. 

Consumers complain that they struggle with the limited affordable payment options permitted 

in their loan agreements. Specifically, some consumers say they are unable to refinance or 

restructure the repayment terms of their loan, either to lower monthly payments during periods 

of financial hardship or to improve existing terms based upon the consumer’s improved credit 

profile and credit-worthiness. Some consumers also express confusion about the difference 

between their private loans and federal student loans, specifically when it comes to forbearance 

and deferment options. 

The Bureau receives a significant number of complaints from servicemembers experiencing 

issues during their annual recertification of income-driven repayment plans. In order to keep 

their monthly payment set at a specific percentage of their income, borrowers must submit their 

application and certify their current annual income every year (known-as “recertification”). If 

the recertification process is not completed in time, borrowers receive a revised billing 

statement. The new statement uses a monthly payment calculation that is based on the amount 

they would have owed under a standard 10-year repayment plan— usually much higher than the 

amount they paid under their income-driven plan. 

The complaints reveal that servicers frequently fail to effectively communicate about the 

recertification process, and, as a result, borrowers struggle to meet these necessary deadlines. 

We hear from borrowers that their only option is to place their account into forbearance while 

they wait on the completion of their recertification in order to lower their payment back to an 

Dealing with my lender or servicer

Can't repay my loan

Getting a loan

64%

27%

8%
19 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

affordable amount. Even if forbearance is available to the borrower, they are still subject to 

interest capitalization during that time. In addition, among other issues, there is also a potential 

for lost subsidy and lost credit toward loan forgiveness. Read here for more information on 

income-driven repayment plans and recertification.18

Prepaid card complaints

Figure 10 shows the types of prepaid complaints reported by servicemembers – approximately 

300 prepaid complaints were handled by the CFPB in 2015.19

FIGURE 10: TYPES OF PREPAID CARD COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

The most common types of prepaid card complaints involved unauthorized transactions or other 

transaction issues and managing, opening, or closing a prepaid card account. Servicemembers 

also commonly complain about frauds and scams in relation to prepaid cards. The remaining 

issues involve difficulty adding money, various fees assessed to the cards, misleading 

advertising, and compensation on rewards programs. 

 

18 http://www.consumerfinance.gov/blog/when-you-make-student-loan-payments-on-an-income-driven-plan-youmight-be-in-for-a-payment-shock/

19 The Bureau began handling complaints about prepaid cards on July 19, 2014.

Unauthorized transactions or other transaction issues

Managing, opening, or closing your account

Fraud or scam

Adding money

Fees

Advertising, marketing, or disclosures

Overdraft, savings or rewards features 0.4%

35%

31%

20%

6%

5%

3%
20 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Money transfer complaints

Figure 11 shows the types of money transfer complaints reported by servicemembers –

approximately 200 money transfer complaints were handled by the CFPB in 2015.20

FIGURE 11: TYPES OF MONEY TRANSFER COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

This figure illustrates that the most common type of money transfer complaint was about fraud 

or scams. In these cases, the servicemember is prompted to send funds as a result of a scam, and

someone other than the servicemember’s intended recipient ultimately receives the funds. For 

example, a complaint might state that they were prompted to transfer funds in response to a 

request for help from a family member or friend; for the purchase of goods or services; the 

rental of an apartment; a loan, or a job opportunity; or to pay taxes on lottery earnings. 

Servicemembers report that in response to such complaints, companies engaged in money 

transfers suggest that they have no liability when someone other than the intended recipient 

receives the funds, as long as the company complied with its own policies and procedures and 

the minimum identification requirements were satisfied by the recipient. Another common type 

of complaint involves issues with other transactions, such as the refusal to cancel transactions or 

honor refunds when the servicemember believes the company should provide them.

 

20 The Bureau began handling complaints about virtual currency as part of the money transfer complaint category on 

August 11, 2014.

Fraud or scam

Other transaction issues

Money was not available when promised

Other service issues

Wrong amount charged or received

Incorrect or missing disclosures or info

51%

21%

12%

8%

4%

4%
21 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Other financial services complaints

Figure 12 shows the types of other financial services complaints reported by servicemembers –

approximately 200 other financial services complaints were handled by the CFPB in 2015.21

FIGURE 12: TYPES OF OTHER FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPLAINTS REPORTED BY SERVICEMEMBERS

Of the 200 “other financial services” complaints submitted by servicemembers, approximately 

50 percent dealt with fraud or scams. Approximately 26 percent of complaints were about 

customer service issues, while approximately 16 percent of complaints dealt with excessive fees

or unexpected fees and advertising and marketing. The remaining complaints (approximately 8 

percent) for other financial services involved issues with disclosures and lost or stolen checks or 

money orders.

How companies respond to servicemember complaints

Approximately 11,600 (or 61 percent) of all servicemember complaints handled by the CFPB in 

2015 were sent by the office of Consumer Response to companies for review and response. (The 

 

21 CFPB began accepting complaints about check cashing, credit repair, debt settlement, foreign currency exchange, 

money orders, refund anticipation checks, and travelers’ and cashiers’ checks on July 19, 2014.

Fraud or Scam

Customer service or customer relations

Advertising and marketing

Unexpected or other Fees

Disclosures

Excessive Fees

Lost or stolen check

Lost or stolen money order 0.9%

50%

26%

7%

6%

5%

3%

2%
22 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

remaining complaints have been referred to other regulatory agencies (30 percent), found to be 

incomplete (8 percent), or are pending with the consumer or the CFPB (0.8 percent and 0.2

percent, respectively). For more information on the complaint process, refer to Appendix A.

Table 2 shows how companies responded to these complaints during this time period. 

Company responses include descriptions of steps taken or that will be taken, communications 

received from the consumer, any follow-up actions or planned follow-up actions, and a 

categorization of the response. Response category options include “Closed with monetary relief,” 

“Closed with non-monetary relief,” “Closed with explanation,” “Closed,” “In progress,” and other 

administrative options.

“Monetary relief” is defined as objective, measurable, and verifiable monetary relief to the 

consumer as a direct result of the steps taken or that will be taken in response to the complaint.

“Closed with non-monetary relief” indicates that the steps taken by the company in response to 

the complaint did not result in monetary relief to the consumer that is objective, measurable, 

and verifiable, but may have addressed some or all of the consumer’s complaint involving nonmonetary requests. “Non-monetary relief” is defined as other objective and verifiable relief to 

the consumer as a direct result of the steps taken or that will be taken in response to the 

complaint. “Closed with explanation” indicates that the steps taken by the company in response 

to the complaint included an explanation that was tailored to the individual consumer’s 

complaint. For example, this category would be used if the explanation substantively meets the 

consumer’s desired resolution or explains why no further action will be taken. “Closed” indicates 

that the company closed the complaint without relief – monetary or non-monetary – or 

explanation. Consumers are given the option to review and dispute all company closure 

responses. 
23 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Companies have responded to approximately 94 percent of servicemember complaints22 sent to 

them and report having closed 90 percent of the servicemember complaints sent to them. Table 

2 shows how companies have responded to servicemember complaints.

TABLE 2: HOW COMPANIES HAVE RESPONDED TO SERVICEMEMBER COMPLAINTS23

Closed 

with 

monetary 

relief

Closed 

with nonmonetary 

relief

Closed 

with 

explanation

Closed 

(without 

relief or 

explanation)

Administrative 

response

Company 

reviewing

Company 

did not 

provide a 

timely 

response

Debt 

collection 1% 16% 66% 5% 1% 3% 8%

Credit 

reporting <1% 25% 70% <1% 1% 3% <1%

Mortgage 3% 4% 82% 2% 3% 4% 2%

Credit 

card 16% 12% 64% 1% 2% 4% <1%

Bank 

account 

or service

17% 7% 68% 1% 2% 4% <1%

Consumer 

loan 6% 8% 75% 1% 3% 4% 2%

Student 

loan 6% 7% 80% <1% 1% 4% 1%

 

22 Companies have responded to approximately 10,900 of the 11,600 sent to them for response. 

23 While companies’ responses under previous categorizations were maintained, for operational and reporting 

purposes, responses categorized as “full resolution provided,” “partial resolution provided,” and “closed with relief” 

are considered a subset of “closed with monetary relief,” and responses categorized as “no resolution provided” and 

“closed without relief” are categorized as “closed with explanation.” 
24 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Closed 

with 

monetary 

relief

Closed 

with nonmonetary 

relief

Closed 

with 

explanation

Closed 

(without 

relief or 

explanation)

Administrative 

response

Company 

reviewing

Company 

did not 

provide a 

timely 

response

Payday 

loan 2% 1% 61% 2% 19% 4% 10%

Money 

transfer 5% <1% 86% 1% <1% 7% 1%

Prepaid 27% 13% 40% 1% 2% 13% 3%

Other 

financial 

services

8% 4% 79% <1% 4% 5% <1%

All 4% 13% 70% 3% 2% 4% 4%

The CFPB requests that companies respond to complaints within 15 calendar days. If a 

complaint cannot be closed within 15 calendar days, a company may indicate that its work on 

the complaint is “In progress” and provide a final response within 60 calendar days. As shown in 

Table 2, servicemembers did not receive a timely response in 4 percent of complaints sent to a 

company. 

Companies have the option to provide non-monetary relief in response to complaints. 

Servicemembers have received a range of non-monetary relief in response to their complaints, 

such as: 

 providing mortgage foreclosure alternatives that did not include direct monetary 

payments to the consumer, but that helped them to keep their home; 

 stopping harassment from debt collectors;

 cleaning up consumers’ credit reports by correcting submissions to credit bureaus; 

restoring or removing a credit line that was inaccurately reported;

 correcting account information, including in credit reports; and 

 addressing formerly unmet customer service issues.
25 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Companies also have the option to report an amount of monetary relief, where applicable. From 

January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, companies provided relief amounts in response to 

approximately 500 servicemember complaints. For companies which have reported monetary 

relief, the median amount of relief reported was $134; however, the amount varies by product.

Outreach

In addition to monitoring and analyzing complaints submitted to the Bureau by members of the 

military community, OSA routinely engages in outreach that supports its mission to educate and 

empower servicemembers about financial matters while also coordinating with other agencies 

on military consumer protection measures.

OSA conducted its outreach through a series of activities designed to reach servicemembers at 

the places where they live and work, and to encourage them to use CFPB resources, including 

the complaint system.

Installation visits

OSA visited 19 military installations in the United States and the U.S. Territory of Guam in 2015. 

In addition to participating in Executive Round Tables and conducting Town Halls, OSA took 

the opportunity to hear directly from servicemembers in order to enhance its work of protecting 

the military community from consumer financial harm.
26 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Holly Petraeus, Assistant Director for Servicemember Affairs, speaks to Sailors about consumer protection 

education during outreach events aboard the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), Oct. 5 in Polaris 

Point, Guam. (Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jonathan T. Erickson/U.S. Navy)

Educational briefings, outreach events and community collaborations

Along with the installation visits, OSA conducted more than 60 outreach events across the 

United States to engage various stakeholder groups and deliver consumer resources directly to 

the military community. These stakeholder groups consisted of a diverse field of leaders, 

educators, practitioners and military consumer protection advocates in the armed services, 

academia, law, financial industry groups, federal and state governments, and others. 

The outreach events also varied in scope and included efforts such as conducting military 

consumer legal protection briefings at Judge Advocate General schools for the Army, Navy, Air 

Force, and Marine Corps; providing senior executive-level training for Navy and Marine Corps 

new installation commanders and Air Force Wing Commanders; providing training at 

professional development seminars for financial educators; exhibiting at financial education 
27 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

fairs; and having OSA leadership address influential industry groups about financially 

empowering servicemembers.

Veterans outreach events

OSA expanded its engagement campaign geared towards the nation’s 22 million veterans by 

conducting 16 veteran outreach events that focused on forming resource-building collaborations 

with governmental and non-governmental veteran support organizations that promote 

consumer protection. This bridge-building effort included providing “CFPB 101” and other 

issue-specific briefings to prominent veterans service organizations; engaging with public policy 

groups to identify baseline consumer issues for older veterans; establishing relationships with 

local veterans’ courts, faith-based service providers, neighborhood partnerships and women’s 

groups looking for resources to address financial risk factors for veterans; working with veterans 

authorities to create distribution pipelines for CFPB educational materials at the state and local 

levels; and engaging military retirees directly at installation retiree appreciation events.

Digital engagement:

OSA continued to deliver financial education, information and resources to consumers using its 

digital distribution and social media channels. In addition to its routine social media 

engagement, OSA also partnered with other federal agencies and some non-profit organizations 

to host several social-media town halls. These joint social media events provided an opportunity 

for military consumers and stakeholders to have their questions answered by OSA and its 

content partners in real-time. 

The Office expanded its catalogue of online training courses for military financial educators by 

creating a new forum that highlights the Consumer Complaint Process. 
28 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

The forums are available online.24

National partnerships and promotions

OSA collaborated with other federal agencies and certain non-governmental organizations to 

support nationwide savings, financial literacy and consumer protection campaigns geared to the 

military community. OSA supported both Military Saves Week in February and Military 

Consumer Protection Day in July by conducting a series of activities that included giving 

financial readiness presentations to servicemembers at various military installations around the 

United States; conducting social media events, setting up and staffing information kiosks at 

events around the country; and creating multimedia promotional content for these efforts.

 

24 http://www.consumerfinance.gov/servicemembers/on-demand-forums-and-tools/
29 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

2. Enforcement

In addition to its supervisory exams, the CFPB aims to enforce the consumer protection laws 

within the Bureau’s jurisdiction and to support consumer-protection efforts nationwide by 

investigating potential violations, both independently and in conjunction with other federal and 

state law enforcement agencies.

Conducting investigations

Since the CFPB’s launch, the Offices of Enforcement (Enforcement) and Fair Lending and Equal 

Opportunity (Fair Lending) have been investigating potential violations of federal consumer 

financial laws. Some investigations were transferred to the Bureau by the prudential regulators 

and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), while the Bureau has initiated 

other investigations based on potentially problematic practices that Bureau staff identified or 

consumers and others reported. In utilizing its investigation resources, Enforcement considers 

many factors, including amount of consumer harm and the significance of the potential law 

violation. Investigations currently underway span the full breadth of the Bureau’s enforcement 

jurisdiction. Further detail about ongoing investigations will not generally be made public by the 

Bureau until a public enforcement action is filed. 

Enforcement actions

The Bureau was a party in many public enforcement actions in 2015. Four of these particularly 

impacted servicemembers and provided them with over $5 million in refunds and other relief.
30 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Security National Automotive 

Acceptance Company, LLC (S.D. OH. No. 1:15-cv-401) (order entered on October 28, 2015)

The Bureau brought an Enforcement action against Security National Automotive Acceptance 

Company, LLC (SNAAC), an Ohio auto lender, for engaging in unfair, deceptive, and abusive 

acts or practices in violation of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (CFPA), 

including threatening to contact consumers’ commanding officers regarding unpaid debt, 

disclosing consumers’ debts to commanding officers and characterizing delinquencies as 

military violations subjecting the consumers to discipline, and falsely implying that the company 

intended to sue consumers when the company had not yet determined whether or not it would 

take such action. SNAAC was ordered to refund or credit over $2 million to servicemembers and 

other consumers who were allegedly harmed and to pay a penalty of $1 million. A district court

stipulated judgment and order bans SNAAC from using aggressive tactics, such as exaggeration, 

deception, and threats to contact commanding officers, to coerce servicemembers into making 

payments.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Fort Knox National Company and 

Military Assistance Company, LLC (File No. 2015-CFPB-008) (consent order entered 

April 20, 2015).

The CFPB took action against Fort Knox National Company and Military Assistance Company, a 

processor of military allotments, for charging servicemembers fees without adequate 

disclosures. The CFPB determined that their failure adequately to disclose fees to 

servicemembers constituted unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts and practices in violation of the

CFPA. Fort Knox National Company and Military Assistance Company agreed in a consent order

to pay about $3 million in redress to affected servicemembers and required them clearly to 

disclose consumer fees in their payment processing businesses. 

In the matter of RMK Financial, Corp. (File No. 2015-CFPB-0007) (consent order entered 

April 9, 2015).

The CFPB took action against RMK Financial Corporation for deceptive mortgage advertising 

practices and failure to comply with the disclosure requirements for variable-rate mortgage 

products. The CFPB found that RMK Financial made material misrepresentations in its 

advertisements that improperly suggested that RMK Financial was, or was affiliated with, a 
31 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

United States government entity, or that the advertised mortgage credit products were endorsed 

or sponsored by a government program. RMK sent its advertisements to tens of thousands of 

U.S. military servicemembers and veterans, and other holders of VA-guaranteed mortgages.

The CFPB found that the conduct violated Regulation N and the deceptive acts and practices 

prohibition in the CFPA. In addition, the CFPB found that RMK Financial’s advertisements

contained misrepresentations about the loans’ interest rates and estimated monthly payments. 

The CFPB found that the conduct violated the CFPA and Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and its 

implementing regulation, Regulation Z. RMK Financial was ordered to pay $250,000 in civil 

money penalties and to comply with applicable federal laws.

In the Matter of: NewDay Financial, LLC (File No. 2015-CFPB-0004) (consent order 

entered February 10, 2015). 

Through a consent order, NewDay Financial, LLC was required to pay a $2 million civil money 

penalty for violations of the CFPA and Section 8 of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act 

(RESPA). NewDay is a non-bank mortgage lender focusing on originating refinance mortgage 

loans guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. In 2010, NewDay entered into a marketing 

relationship with a veterans’ organization and was named the “exclusive lender” of that 

organization, but NewDay failed to disclose in advertising materials to consumers that the 

veterans’ organization had a financial relationship with NewDay. This failure to disclose the 

relationship in the circumstances constituted a deceptive act or practice, which violates the 

CFPA. In addition, NewDay’s payments to the veterans’ organization and the coordinating 

company for referral activities constituted illegal referral payments in violation of the RESPA.
32 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

3. Conclusion

As servicemember complaint volume continues to grow, OSA is continuously reminded how 

important the mission of our office is – to work on consumer financial challenges affecting 

military personnel, veterans, and their families – and how important it is to inform our work by 

monitoring their complaints to the CFPB. Debt collection continued to be the largest complaint 

category in 2015, with servicemembers, veterans and their families complaining about debt 

collection issues at nearly twice the rate of the general consumer population who also submitted 

complaints with the Bureau. In addition to monitoring complaints submitted to the Bureau, 

OSA will continue its outreach activities to hear directly from servicemembers, veterans and 

their families about the consumer financial issues that are challenging them. It’s worth noting 

that this year alone, prompted by servicemember complaints, the Bureau took action against 

four lenders that focused on the military – providing millions in relief to the affected 

individuals. 
33 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

APPENDIX A:

A look into how a complaint is 

handled by the CFPB

Complaint process

In keeping with the CFPB’s statutory responsibility and its commitment to accountability, the 

following pages provide an overview of the handling and analysis of complaints received by the 

Bureau from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015.

The CFPB’s Consumer Response team screens complaints submitted by consumers based on 

several criteria, including whether the complaint falls within the Bureau’s enforcement 

authority, whether the complaint is complete, and whether the complaint is duplicative of a 

prior submission by the same consumer. Screened complaints are forwarded via a secure web 

portal to the appropriate company.25 The company reviews the information, communicates with 

the consumer as needed, and determines what action to take in response. The company then 

reports back to the consumer and the CFPB via the secure company portal, and the Bureau 

invites the consumer to review the response and provide feedback.26 Consumer Response 

analyzes complaints, company responses and consumer feedback to spot trends and identify 

risks to consumers to inform the Bureau’s work, including the identification of supervisory and 

 

25 If a particular complaint does not involve a product or market that is within the Bureau’s jurisdiction or that is not 

currently being handled by the Bureau or the company is not yet responding to complaints in our system, Consumer 

Response does not forward the complaint to the company. However, those complaints are used by the Bureau in its 

enforcement and supervision activities or referred to the appropriate regulator.

26 The CFPB requests that companies respond to complaints within 15 calendar days. If a complaint cannot be closed 

within 15 calendar days, a company may indicate that its work on the complaint is “In progress” and provide a final 

response within 60 calendar days.
34 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

enforcement priorities that lead to resolutions that benefit large numbers of consumers. 

Consumers who have submitted complaints to the Bureau through Consumer Response can log 

onto the secure consumer portal available on the CFPB’s website, or call a toll-free number, to 

receive status updates, provide additional information, and review responses provided to the 

consumer by the company. The process seeks to ensure that consumers receive timely 

responses to their complaints and that the Bureau, other regulators, consumers, and the 

marketplace have the complaint information needed to improve the functioning of consumer 

financial markets for such products and services.
35 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

APPENDIX B:

Throughout this process, 

subject-matter experts help 

monitor certain complaints

The Consumer Complaint Database

The CFPB began Consumer Response operations on July 21, 2011, by accepting consumer 

complaints about credit cards. The Bureau now accepts complaints about an array of products 

and services including mortgages, bank accounts and services, student loans, vehicle and other 

consumer loans, credit reporting, money transfers, debt collection, payday loans, prepaid cards, 

additional nonbank products (including debt settlement services, credit repair services, and 

pawn and title loans), and digital currency. The CFPB continues to work toward expanding its 

complaint-handling capacity and plans to include other products and services. Consumers may 

also contact the CFPB with questions about other products and services. The Bureau answers 

questions and refers consumers to other regulators or additional resources as appropriate.
36 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

consumerfinance.gov/complaintdatabase

Information about consumer complaints is available to the public through the Bureau’s public 

Consumer Complaint Database (the database), launched on June 19, 2012. The database was 

initially populated with certain information27 from credit card complaints received on and after 

June 1, 2012, and has been expanded over time:

 October 2012: added credit card complaints dating back to December 1, 2011;

 March 2013: added mortgage complaints dating back to December 1, 2011, bank account 

and service complaints, student loan complaints, vehicle and other consumer loan 

complaints, all dating back to March 1, 2012; 

 May 2013: added credit reporting complaints dating back to October 22, 2012 and 

money transfer complaints dating back to April 4, 2013; 

 

27 The database does not include any personally identifiable information submitted by consumers.
37 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

 November 2013: added debt collection complaints dating back to July 10, 2013;

 July 2014: added payday loan complaints dating back to November 6, 2013;

 January 2015: added prepaid cards, other consumer loans (pawn and title), and other 

financial services dating back to July 19, 2014; 

 June 2015: added consumer complaint narratives and optional company public 

responses;28 and

 February 2016: Servicemember and Older American tags added to complaints where the 

individual has self-identified as a servicemember, veteran or family member. 

A complaint is listed in the database when the company responds to the complaint, or after the 

company has had the complaint for 15 days, whichever comes first. Complaints can be removed 

if they do not meet all of the publication criteria.29

The database updates nightly, and contains certain individual complaint-level data collected by 

the CFPB, including the type of complaint, the date of submission, the consumer’s zip code, and 

the company that the complaint concerns. The database also includes information about the 

actions taken by a company in response to a complaint – whether the company’s response was 

timely, how the company responded, and whether the consumer disputed the company’s 

response. The database does not include confidential information about consumers’ identities.

 

28 See Disclosure of Consumer Complaint Narrative Data, 80 Fed. Reg. 15572 (March 24, 2015).

29 Not all complaints handled by the Bureau are published in the public Consumer Complaint Database. Complaints

that do not meet the publication criteria may be removed from the database. The database lists complaints where 

the companies have had the opportunity to provide a response or after the companies have had the complaint for 15 

calendar days - whichever comes first. The publication criteria are available at

http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201503_cfpb_disclosure-of-consumer-complaint-narrative-data.pdf. 
38 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

On June 25, 2015, the CFPB began to publish consumer complaint narratives in the Consumer 

Complaint Database. Consumers now have the choice to share in their own words their 

experiences with the consumer financial marketplace. Only those narratives for which opt-in 

consumer consent is obtained and to which a robust personal information scrubbing process is 

applied are eligible for inclusion.30 The CFPB gives companies the option to respond publicly to 

the substance of the consumer complaints they receive from the CFPB by selecting from a set list 

of public-facing response categories.

Web-based features of the database facilitate the ability to filter data based on specific search 

criteria, to aggregate data in various ways, such as by complaint type, company, zip code, date, 

or any combination of available variables, and to download data. Information from the database 

has been shared on social media and evaluated using other new applications.

The Bureau continually strives to improve data quality and protect sensitive information, while 

making data increasingly available through reports to Congress and to the public about the 

complaints the CFPB receives and by sharing certain data with the public through the Consumer 

Complaint Database.

 

30 The number of complaints published in the database may be fewer than the total number of complaints handled by 

the Bureau.
39 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

APPENDIX C:

More about the CFPB

WEBSITE:

www.consumerfinance.gov

CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND QUESTIONS:

Webpage: consumerfinance.gov/complaint

Toll free number: (855) 411-CFPB (2372) 

TTY/TDD: (855) 729-CFPB (2372) 

Fax number: (855) 237-2392

Hours of operation: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. EST, Monday - Friday, services in 180+ languages

Mailing address:

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

PO Box 4503

Iowa City, Iowa 52244

HEADQUARTERS ADDRESS: 

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

ATTN: Employee name, Division, and/or Office Number

1700 G Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20552

EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION:

Ask CFPB: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/

Resources: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/library-resources/

WHISTLEBLOWERS:

Email: whistleblower@consumerfinance.gov

Toll free number: (855) 695-7974
40 SERVICEMEMBERS 2015: A YEAR IN REVIEW, SPRING 2016

PRESS & MEDIA REQUESTS:

Email: press@consumerfinance.gov

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS:

Legislative Affairs: (202) 435-7960

CFPB OMBUDSMAN’S OFFICE:

Email: CFPBOmbudsman@cfpb.gov

Webpage: consumerfinance.gov/ombudsman

Toll free number: (855) 830-7880

TTY number: (202) 435-9835 

Fax number: (202) 435-7888