Hotline
The OIG Hotline serves as a resource for individuals to report fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement related to the programs or operations of the Board and the CFPB. Hotline staff can be reached by phone, fax, mail, or e-mail. OIG analysts review all incoming Hotline communications, research and analyze the issues raised, and determine how to best address the complaints. During this reporting period, the Hotline received 273 complaints.
The OIG Hotline continued to receive a significant number of complaints involving suspicious solicitations invoking the name of the Federal Reserve. Hotline staff members continue to advise all individuals that these “phishing” e-mails are solicitations that attempt to obtain the personal or financial information of the recipient and that neither the Board nor the Reserve Banks endorse or have any involvement in them.
The OIG continued to receive complaints from individuals seeking information about or wanting to file noncriminal consumer complaints regarding consumer financial products and services. In these matters, Hotline staff members typically refer complainants to the consumer group of the appropriate federal regulator for the institution involved, such as the OCC Customer Assistance Group or the CFPB Consumer Response team.
Our new public website contains a dedicated Hotline page that lists FAQs and provides OIG Hotline contact information. Additionally, there is a new online OIG Hotline Report Form available for individuals wishing to report fraud, waste, or abuse in Board or CFPB programs or operations via the OIG website. This report form gives users the ability to submit a complaint without providing the complainant’s name or contact information or to request confidentiality when submitting a complaint. The new report form supports streamlined communications between complainants and Hotline staff.
Table 10: Summary Statistics on Hotline Activities During the Reporting Period
| Hotline complaints | Number |
|---|---|
|
Complaints pending from previous reporting period |
2 |
|
Complaints received during reporting period |
273 |
|
Total complaints for reporting period |
275 |
|
Complaints resolved during reporting period |
275 |
|
Complaints pending |
0 |
