Maryland PIRG Foundation Announces New Resource: Top Ten Ways the CFPB Can Help You CFPB Has Already Returned $1.5 Billion To Consumers

Media Contacts
Emily Scarr

State Director, Maryland PIRG; Director, Stop Toxic PFAS Campaign, PIRG

Maryland PIRG Foundation

Since its formation in 2011, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proven itself a worthy cop on the financial beat: It has already returned more than $1.5 billion in unfair bank and credit card fees to consumers. Yet too many people may still be unsure how to get the most out of this new federal agency.

That’s why Maryland PIRG is announcing today a new list of 10 resources available to consumers from the CFPB. The CFPB was established in the wake of the Wall Street-induced financial collapse; it is the first federal financial agency with just one job, protecting consumers.

“At the CFPB website you can file complaints about financial products and get money returned or bad practices stopped; and you can also get answers to questions or tell your story about a financial problem,” said Emily Scarr, a consumer advocate for Maryland PIRG. “You can also use “Know Before You Owe” resources to investigate the cost of college or a mortgage.”

The new page,  “Top Ten Ways the CFPB can Help You,” is part of Maryland PIRG Foundation’s Consumer Tips pages. Consumers without access to the Internet can call the CFPB at 855-411-CFPB to get the tools and resources.

The Maryland PIRG Foundation’s main Consumer Tips page also includes a variety of self-help pages on issues ranging from identity theft to tenant’s rights to how to buy a cell phone. The site also describes how to complain to other government agencies, including for car defects, product safety concerns or airline complaints.

Scarr also pointed out that the CFPB’s Top Ten resources include information for consumers who the CFPB has special responsibilities to protect from financial fraud, including service-members and veterans, students and older Americans.

“The CFPB is getting results for consumers,” concluded Scarr. “Not only has it fined 5 big credit card companies and refunded $1.5 billion to consumers for some banks’ unfair practices, it is handling consumer complaints for credit card, credit bureau, mortgage, payday loan, debt collection and other problems.”

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