ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Where Do You Turn When You Have A Problem With Your Bank?
Government Agencies That Can Help
Several government agencies supervise your bank, savings and loan or credit union. When you have a problem with your bank account, CD, mortgage, consumer loan or other banking arrangement, knowing who to call can help you toward a quicker resolution. Several government agencies may be able to help you but knowing who to call can be confusing. The banking and consumer fraud lawyers at Evans Law Firm, Inc. want to provide some useful information and contact numbers. If you’re in California and you still can’t resolve your problem after contacting the right agency call the consumer and banking attorneys at Evans Law Firm and we may be able to help. Our number is (415) 441-8669.
For large, national banks like Bank of America, Chase or Wells Fargo start with the Customer Assistance Group at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The toll-free OCC customer assistance number is 1 (800) 613-6743. Hours are 8AM-8PM Eastern time, Monday-Friday. The OCC also offers an online customer complaint form: https://appsec.helpwithmybank.gov/olcc_form/. You can also visit www.HelpWithMyBank.gov for more guidance.
For State-chartered banks (like Bank of the West, Bank of Marin, or First Republic Bank, for example) the Federal Deposit Insurance corporation (FDIC) is the authority to call. The FDIC maintains a hotline at 1 (877) ASK-FDIC (275-3342). The FDIC Consumer Assistance and Information Page can be found at https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/assistance/index.html. There is also an FDIC consumer assistance online form located at: https://ask.fdic.gov/FDICCustomerAssistanceForm/.
If you’re not sure whether your bank is a national or State-chartered bank, you can look that up too at the OCC’s “Who Regulates My Bank?” search portal at https://www.helpwithmybank.gov/national-banks/national-banks.html.
Another resource when you have a problem with a bank or other financial institution is the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve supervises and regulates a variety of the country’s most important financial institutions. For questions about the Federal Reserve’s consumer complaint process call 1 (888) 851-1920. The Federal Reserve has a consumer help link at https://www.federalreserveconsumerhelp.gov/. You can also visit the Consumer Help Center at https://www.ffiec.gov/consumercenter/default.aspx to find out which regulator oversees your bank.
For problems with credit unions visit the National Credit Union Administration’s official website at https://www.mycreditunion.gov/ for help.
Another good resource for finding where to direct a consumer problem with a bank or other financial institution is BankFind provided by the FDIC at https://research.fdic.gov/bankfind/. Finally, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is the government agency that was created to make sure banks, lenders, and other financial companies treat you fairly, and the CFPB complaint process may assist you in resolving your problem. The CFPB maintains a consumer hotline at 1(855) 411-2372 and an online complaint process available at https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/getting-started/. The SEC Center for Complaints and Enforcement Tips regarding securities violations can be found at https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/complaintshtml.html
Finally, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also investigate consumer complaints about identity theft, securities violations and other misconduct. The FTC provides a one-stop resource for victims of identity theft and scams. The FTC’s Complaint Assistant website can be found at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/?utm_source=takeaction#crnt&panel1-1. The SEC Center for Complaints and Enforcement Tips regarding securities violations can be found at https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/complaintshtml.html.
We hope the above resources help you when you’re facing a problem with a bank, lender, credit union or other financial institution. The current administration takes a far less aggressive approach to consumer protection than their predecessors, delaying key regulations and imposing fewer penalties against financial institutions and other corporations accused of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, career professionals at the OCC, FDIC, CFPB and other agencies remain committed to consumer protection and are ready to assist you despite cutbacks and deregulation. Call and visit the above websites to learn more about how these agencies can help you when you have a complaint against your bank or other financial institution.
Contact Us
Ingrid M. Evans and the other California and San Francisco consumer, securities, financial elder abuse and annuity and life insurance attorneys can be reached at Evans Law Firm (415) 441-8669, or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. Our attorneys have experience with complex financial contracts and large insurance companies. We can help guide your case through a jury trial or toward an equitable settlement. We also handle cases involving physical and financial elder abuse, qui tam and whistleblower law, nursing home abuse, whole life insurance and universal life insurance, and indexed, variable, and fixed annuities.
