CFPB Proposal Would Subject Banks and CUs to Reputational Risk

Several years ago, I spoke to the 33rd Annual National Directors' Convention in Las Vegas about the huge threat that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) poses to banks and credit unions.

The latest example of this threat is a new proposal by the CFPB to publish consumers’ narratives in its consumer complaint database. A company subject to a complaint would be given an opportunity to post a response that would appear next to a customer’s story. If the company does not respond in 15 days, the complaint narrative would be published.

The CFPB states that "by giving consumers an option to publicly share their stories, the CFPB would greatly enhance the utility of the database, a platform designed to provide consumers with valuable information needed to make better financial choices for themselves and their families."

But unlike YELP, the CFPB database will not include information about favorable consumer experiences.

The public disclosure of unverified consumer complaint narratives will not advance the goal of helping consumers to make informed and responsible financial decisions. However, it will subject financial institutions to reputational risk.

Read the press release.