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Consumer Affairs Program
What is the FDIC's Consumer
Affairs Program?
Congress
requires that the FDIC receive, track, investigate, and respond to consumer
complaints of unfair or deceptive practices by financial institutions. The
FDIC has expanded this mandate to include responding to inquiries from
consumers, financial institutions and others about consumer protection and
fair lending matters. The FDIC also responds to inquiries from consumers and
financial institutions about deposit insurance.
How
Can the FDIC's Consumer Affairs Program help you?
The FDIC
has statutory responsibility to promote and enforce compliance by
FDIC-supervised financial institutions (state-chartered banks that are not
members of the Federal Reserve System) with fair lending and other consumer
protection laws and regulations. In addition, as part of its responsibility
as insurer of bank and thrift institution deposits, the FDIC promotes public
understanding of and confidence in the federal deposit insurance system.
The
FDIC is committed to maintaining a high standard of service to the
public. This is
accomplished through the following activities:
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Investigate
and resolve complaints received from the general public concerning
FDIC-supervised institutions.
-
Educate
consumers and financial institutions about FDIC deposit insurance and
federal consumer protection laws and regulations through outreach
activities such as seminars and speaking engagements.
-
Identify
and analyze trends or concerns identified in financial institutions
that
may affect the consumer’s rights and protections allowed under the law.
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Understand
the public's perception of banking and related consumer protection and
deposit insurance matters and address any misunderstandings.
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Participate
in the formulation of consumer-related regulations, policies, and
procedures.
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Provide
timely and accurate information and assistance to various groups and
individuals inside and outside the FDIC.
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The goal of the FDIC's Consumer Affairs Program is to promote
public understanding of deposit insurance and the financial system. This
is accomplished in two ways:
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Responding to consumers, bankers, and regulatory agency staff by
investigating and providing a timely response to all complaints and
inquiries; and
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Educating consumers and financial institutions about deposit
insurance, the financial system, and consumer protection laws, and
regulations.
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