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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced the joint release of an enhanced version of the award-winning financial education curriculum, Money Smart for Older Adults. The enhanced version includes a new section to help people avoid “romance scams” and an updated resource guide. The enhancements to Money Smart for Older Adults are based on stakeholder feedback and recent research conducted by the FDIC and CFPB for this collaborative effort.

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit in federal court against BrightSpeed Solutions Inc. (BrightSpeed) and its founder and former chief executive officer, Kevin Howard, for knowingly processing payments for companies engaged in internet-based technical-support fraud. Chicago-based BrightSpeed was a privately owned, third-party payment processor founded and operated by Howard in 2015 and wound down business operations in March 2019.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released an online resource to help communities form networks to increase their capacity to prevent and respond to elder financial abuse.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a first-of-its-kind study examining the financial resources and expenses of retirees during the first five years of retirement among Americans who retired between 1992 and 2014.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) today issued an updated advisory to financial institutions urging them to report to the appropriate local, state and federal authorities whenever they suspect that an older adult is the target or victim of financial exploitation. 

Press Availability with Acting Director Mick Mulvaney

CFPB Releases Consumer Guide and Video Explaining Reverse Mortgages

Report Shows Older Consumers Report Problems with Reverse Mortgages, Scams, Credit Cards, and Add-On Products

Growing Concerns as Number of Older Student Loan Borrowers Quadruples, Amount of Debt Per Senior Borrower Doubles in Last Decade

CFPB Issues Guide and Best Practices to Help Communities Create Protection Partnerships for Seniors

One in Five Older Americans Report Being Victims of Financial Exploitation WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today issued an advisory and a report with recommendations for banks and credit unions on how to prevent, recognize, report, and respond to financial exploitation of older Americans. Financial exploitation, the illegal or improper use […]

Companies Hid Loan Interest Rates and Fees and Deceived Consumers About Other Terms of the Deal WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) filed a lawsuit in federal court against two companies, Pension Funding, LLC and Pension Income, LLC, and three of the […]

CFPB Issues Advisory Offering Tips to Borrowers on Protecting Family Members WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a report highlighting the top complaints for reverse mortgages. According to the report, consumers are frustrated with their loan terms, servicer runarounds, and foreclosure problems. To help consumers who already have a reverse […]

Bureau Issues Consumer Advisory with Tips for Older Americans Dealing with Harassing Debt Collectors WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a report highlighting debt collection as a top complaint for older Americans, many of whom say they struggle with debt in retirement. According to the report, some of the debt […]

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today launched a Spanish-language version of Money Smart for Older Adults. This free financial resource tool is designed to help aid older adults (age 62 and older) and their caregivers prevent, identify and respond to elder financial exploitation, which affects millions of senior citizens each year, with only a fraction of incidents reported.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a guide to help assisted living and nursing facility staff better protect the people in their care by preventing and addressing financial abuse and scams. The guide helps staff recognize, record, and report financial mistreatment by family members or other trusted people handling the finances of an incapacitated adult. The guide also addresses prevention of a wide variety of financial exploitation and scams.

CFPB Issues Advisory about Managing Mortgage Debt in Retirement WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a snapshot report spotlighting the mortgage debt challenges faced by a growing number of older Americans. These challenges include more mortgage debt, less affordable housing, and greater risk of foreclosure. The CFPB is also issuing […]

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published four guides to help financial caregivers, particularly those who handle the finances of older Americans, carry out their duties and responsibilities in managing someone else’s money.

Today, we are releasing the Managing Someone Else’s Money guides to help Americans of all ages better understand their responsibilities if they are called on to manage the finances of someone they love because their loved one is no longer able to do so.

Seven federal regulatory agencies today issued guidance to clarify that the privacy provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act generally permit financial institutions to report suspected elder financial abuse to appropriate authorities.

The newest addition to the FDIC’s Money Smart financial curriculum family, this stand-alone training module developed by both agencies provides information to raise awareness among older adults (age 62 and older) and their caregivers on how to prevent, identify and respond to elder financial exploitation, plan for a secure financial future, and make informed financial decisions.

The Bureau found that there are more than 50 different senior designations that financial advisers use to indicate that they have advanced training or expertise in the financial needs of older consumers. These designations can confuse older consumers, who are already at risk for deception and fraud.

Today’s actions stem from a joint “sweep,” a review conducted by the CFPB and the FTC of about 800 randomly selected mortgage-related ads across the country, including ads for mortgage loans, refinancing, and reverse mortgages.

“Our older adult population is growing every year, which makes it even more critical that we study this issue. Today, the Bureau will launch a public inquiry to learn more about financial fraud of older Americans and the credentials of financial advisors who counsel them.”