WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today applauded the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on fielding its one millionth consumer complaint through a public database that helped in the investigation of Wells Fargo’s fraudulent accounts scheme.

“Thanks to whistleblowers, the CFPB started working to get to the bottom of the Wells Fargo abuses before the bank’s chairman and chief executive even knew the fraud was taking place,” said Brown, the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. “The Wells Fargo scandal and today’s milestone underscore the CFPB’s importance in exposing unfair and abusive behavior by financial companies that previously had no federal watchdog focused on consumer protections. I encourage customers who believe they have been harmed by Wells Fargo or other financial institutions to join the one million Americans who have shared their stories on CFPB.gov.”

Consumers can submit a complaint with the CFPB through the agency’s website – http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ – or by calling (855) 411-2372. 

The consumer database is public and searchable online, allowing oversight agencies, law enforcement, financial institutions, and others to be able to identify and address growing problems with credit cards, mortgages, student and auto loans, bank accounts, and other financial products. CFPB’s partners in exposing the Wells Fargo scandal, the Los Angeles City Attorney and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, both rely on the database as well.

CFPB Director Richard Cordray signaled today’s milestone during his testimony last week before the Senate Banking Committee over the CFPB’s role in uncovering the Wells Fargo scandal. Earlier this month, the CFPB levied a record $100 million fine against Wells Fargo to settle allegations that, for years, thousands of the bank’s employees opened millions of new accounts without customers’ permission.

The CFPB was created by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which became law six years ago. Since its creation, the CFPB’s actions have resulted in more than $11.5 billion being returned to 27 million wronged consumers.

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