Skip to main content

Consumer Education and Engagement Records

The CFPB modifies the purpose(s) for which the records are maintained to clarify that information in the system will be used for research purposes in understanding and improving consumer awareness, understanding, and use of disclosures and communications regarding consumer financial products or services; and modifies the categories of records maintained by the system to include the following information: (1) Social Security numbers, voluntarily provided with informed consent, when needed to pull credit reports or otherwise connect data points across data sources to understand consumer financial decision-making and well-being and the effectiveness of financial education or financial capability programs, resources, tools, or interventions; (2) biographical information (e.g. race, ethnicity, date of birth, marital status, education level, household composition information, citizenship status, disability information, or veteran status) voluntarily provided with informed consent in order to understand the effectiveness of financial education or financial capability programs, resources, tools, or interventions, as it relates to certain populations; (3) credit report data; and (4) web analytics information that may be partially identifiable, including records of access to CFPB managed websites or resources including date(s) and time(s) of access, IP address of access, logs of internet activity related to use of the site or resource, the address that linked the user directly to the site or resource, in order to understand and enhance the effectiveness or usability of the site or resource. Finally, the Bureau makes several non-substantive changes as part of its annual review.

Who is covered? Information in the system will contain records that have been collected from: providers of consumer financial products and services, consumer reporting agencies, and debt counselors; service providers to the above; consumers; government entities; and commercial and non-profit entities that compile or otherwise possess data sets obtained from one or more of the above sources. 

What information is collected? Records in the system may include without limitation: (1) Social Security numbers, voluntarily provided with informed consent, when needed to pull credit reports or otherwise connect data points across data sources to understand consumer financial decision-making and well-being and the effectiveness of financial education or financial capability programs, resources, tools, or interventions; (2) biographical information (e.g. race, ethnicity, date of birth, marital status, education level, household composition information, citizenship status, disability information, or veteran status) voluntarily provided with informed consent in order to understand the effectiveness of financial education or financial capability programs, resources, tools, or interventions, as it relates to certain populations; (3) credit report data; and (4) web analytics information that may be partially identifiable, including records of access to CFPB managed websites or resources including date(s) and time(s) of access, IP address of access, logs of internet activity related to use of the site or resource, the address that linked the user directly to the site or resource, in order to understand and enhance the effectiveness or usability of the site or resource.

Why is the information collected? Records in this system are collected to enable the CFPB to monitor, research, analyze, and report information relevant to the functioning of markets for consumer financial products and services. This system will also enable CFPB to research, analyze, and report on consumer financial products or services, consumer awareness and understanding of the costs, risks, and benefits of such products or services, and consumer behavior with respect to such products or services.


System of Records Notice

Full SORN

History for this System of Records Notice

85 FR 3662; 79 FR 78839;

83 FR 23435

77 FR 60382