Provides regulatory oversight for state-chartered commercial banks, savings and loan associations, savings banks, trust companies, foreign banks, credit unions, payday loan companies and check cashers and sellers. Issues licenses to financial companies operating in Washington. Also provides oversight of mortgage brokers, mortgage loan originators, investment advisers, franchises and securities.  Consumers may file a complaint after contacting the company directly and getting no positive results.
Cannot give legal advice, nor recommend attorneys. 
The agency cannot pursue redress on your behalf. Contact a private attorney who can advise you of your rights.

Oversight/Consumer Complaints offered at Washington State Department of Financial Institutions

Provides regulatory oversight and investigates consumer complaints about financial institutions and scams in the state.

Programs that help older adults, people who live alone and other vulnerable individuals become aware of the scams and con games that are most frequently used to induce victims to part with their money or valuables. Common scams include fraudulent prize offers, "free" travel packages that have hidden costs or which never materialize, "get rich quick" investments that turn out to be worthless, tax debt/refund scams, phony charities with names that are similar to well-known organizations and schemes involving promises to recover an individual's money following their victimization by another scam.

Fraud Prevention

Programs that are designed to protect the consumer from fraudulent or unfair credit practices through enforcement of legislation that guarantees equal access to credit; the right to notice of credit reporting activities; the right of access to information contained in credit reports; the right to correct erroneous credit report information; the right to withhold payment on damaged or shoddy goods or repairs or poor quality services while negotiating a settlement; the right to timely correction of billing errors; protection from abusive, deceptive or unfair debt collection practices and similar protections.

Fair Credit Practices

Programs that provide a hotline, website or other mechanisms that consumers can use to report the activities of telephone and Internet scammers and other con artists who attempt to persuade older adults, individuals who live alone, disaster victims and other vulnerable people to part with their savings. Common scams include fraudulent prize offers, "free" travel packages that have hidden costs or which never materialize, "get rich quick" investments that turn out to be worthless, tax debt/refund scams, phony charities with names that are similar to well-known organizations and schemes involving promises to recover an individual's money following their victimization by another scam. Reports may be filed by consumer fraud victims or by people who have information about individuals they know to be perpetrating these types of scams.

Consumer Fraud Reporting

Programs that accept and, where possible, attempt to resolve complaints regarding the quality of service, unethical or improper conduct of personnel or other inappropriate business practices of national or state banks, state or federally chartered savings and loan companies or chartered commercial banks. Included are complaints regarding errors in computing interest, late charges or impounds, improper foreclosures on real estate loans, failure to meet loan commitments, noncompliance with the terms of the contract loan agreement or other similar problems.

Bank/Savings and Loans Complaints

Programs that provide assistance for people who believe they are victims of unscrupulous lending institutions that have pressured them into signing a loan agreement they cannot afford. Predatory lending tactics include high pressure sales techniques; misleading or fraudulent direct mail campaigns; failure to disclose unusually high interest rates, hidden transaction costs, excessive fees and punitive penalty clauses such as balloon payments; and loan agreements that are based on home equity rather than a realistic ability to repay. Predatory lenders frequently target the most vulnerable consumers including older adults, low income individuals, and people residing in communities underserved by traditional banking institutions.

Predatory Lending Assistance

Programs that attempt to reduce the incidence of identity theft by making people aware of the means by which thieves obtain the personal information they use to assume another's identity and steps that can be taken to protect that information. Suggestions include regularly reviewing credit reports for fraudulent accounts; destroying important papers including pre-approved credit applications and credit card receipts using a crosscut shredder; taking care at ATM machines and in other public venues that there are no observers stealing PIN numbers or eavesdroppers recording information provided orally; picking up new checks rather than having them mailed home; omitting telephone numbers from checks; mailing bill payments from a post box rather than a home mailbox; regularly monitoring bank statements; and other similar precautions. Identity theft occurs when someone fraudulently obtains private information about an individual, e.g., his or her Social Security number, uses it to apply for credit in that person's name, runs up large bills and then disappears without paying the bills leaving the victim with ruined credit. Identity thieves may also purchase expensive medical services in the victim's name or give the victim's name and personal information to a law enforcement officer during an investigation or upon arrest leaving the individual vulnerable to large medical bills or subject to arrest.

Identity Theft Prevention

Independent regulatory agency enforces federal consumer protection and antitrust laws on behalf of the general public.  
Investigates complaints regarding unfair, deceptive or anti-competitive business practices. These practices may include: 
-  False advertising 
-  Unfair credit practices 
-  Misleading packaging 
-  Mail-order problems 
-  Price fixing   
Cannot act on behalf of individual consumers, but collects information from individuals about problems with businesses.  
Develops resource guides to help consumers find the appropriate agencies to contact about consumer-related matters. 
These guides contain lists of nonprofit, state and local agencies for the states in each federal region.  
Brochures are available on a wide variety of topics of interest to consumers. Brochures are available in Spanish and English.

Consumer Advocacy offered by U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Northwest Regional Office

Independent regulatory agency enforces federal consumer protection and anti-trust laws. Investigates complaints regarding unfair, deceptive or anti-competitive business practices. Publishes informational brochures on consumer rights and detecting scams.

Programs such as local consumer complaints offices that respond to a range of consumer issues rather than specializing in handling a particular type of complaint. These programs register complaints by consumers and, when possible, attempt to find a satisfactory resolution.

General Consumer Complaints

Programs that provide information about government offices and services that interested individuals can access on a website or in person, or by telephone, email, chat, text or other communication channel. In some cases, assistance is available to help identify and locate an appropriate office.

Government Information Services

Consumer protection offices that are part of federal, state, county or city governments which receive, investigate and resolve through direct action or referral to law enforcement or regulatory agencies, consumer complaints that are a result of transactions in the marketplace.  Most government consumer affairs offices also publish and disseminate a large selection of consumer education materials, initiate studies to improve standards of conduct for businesses and consumers, and analyze and recommend changes in consumer protection legislation.

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Oversight/Consumer Complaints offered at Washington State Department of Financial Institutions

Consumer Advocacy offered by U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Northwest Regional Office