OUR CORE FUNCTIONS

Fraud Bureau was created to provide a single point of accountability for enforcing federal consumer financial laws and protecting consumers in the financial marketplace. Before, that responsibility was divided among several agencies. Today, it’s our primary focus.

Our work includes:

  • Rooting out unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices by writing rules, supervising companies, and enforcing the law
  • Enforcing laws that outlaw discrimination in consumer finance
  • Taking consumer complaints
  • Enhancing financial education
  • Researching the consumer experience of using financial products
  • Monitoring financial markets for new risks to consumers

PARTNERSHIP APPROACH TO FRAUD

Fraud is an area of regulation where we align our goals with those of regulated firms. We Realize that firms have Powerful Incentives to control fraud risks fraud costs them money and reductions may Influence firms' profitability. We promote a partnership approach to tackling fraud and aim to work with the market and to encourage collaboration.

Firms have been reluctant to reveal that they've become the victims of fraud, fearing reputational risk. We want to foster an environment where information sharing is not only encouraged, but actively seen by all as a means to reduce fraudulent practices and so increase profitability.

MEMBERS OF THE FRAUD PARTNERSHIP

The fraud partnership is made up of:

  • Fraud Bureau – in our supervisory, enforcement, information from lenders and consumer work
  • regulated firms
  • trade associations – with an emphasis on collaboration across the industry for generic risks such as staff and identity fraud, and not just limited to specific sectors
  • The police and other law enforcement agencies
  • Key service providers to the industry. This involves organizations that provide services to combat fraud, or are potential victims of fraud. For example, consultancy firms, credit reference agencies, fraud data-sharing specialists etc.
  • The Fraud Advisory Panel
  • Consumers and the general public. This can involve perpetrators, victims or whistleblowers