Did you know that the CFPB Ombudsman’s Office is a resource that is available to you? We are an independent, impartial, and confidential resource to help you resolve process issues arising from CFPB activities.
You may have encountered an ombudsman in other areas of your life – maybe you’ve read a newspaper ombudsman’s column, used the ombudsman at an office of a state or local government agency, or perhaps your school has one.
The word ombudsman originated over two hundred years ago in Sweden. Nowadays there are two main types of ombudsmen. Some – like the CFPB Ombudsman’s Office – work to resolve issues between the public and the government; others address internal workforce concerns. Regardless of focus, all ombudsmen look at individual and systemic issues and may make recommendations to address concerns.
The CFPB Ombudsman’s Office follows the essential ombudsman tenets of independence, impartiality, and confidentiality, as described further on our webpage, which together allow us to advocate for a fair process.
Wondering when you should use the CFPB Ombudsman’s Office?
First, we ask you to try the Bureau’s regular processes to get help on your financial product, such as a mortgage or credit card, by filing a complaint with the CFPB. If during the complaint’s lifecycle, you have an issue with the CFPB’s complaint process that cannot be resolved by the CFPB hotline staff (1-855-411-2372), please contact us. You also may contact us if you would like to keep your concerns confidential.
My team and I look forward to hearing from you!
Wendy Kamenshine is the CFPB Ombudsman
