CFPB Monthly Report Returns its Focus to Credit Reporting

Complaint Volume by Product

• In a startling change from prior months, the three products yielding the highest complaint volume in January 2017 were debt collection, student loan, and credit reporting. January 2017 is the first month where mortgage complaints slipped out of the top three. Student loan complaints jumped 537% over December 2016 numbers with no explanation for the sudden spike in student loan complaints between December and January.
• For the three-month period, student loans indicated the highest increase in change – 388% when compared to 2016. The CFPB explained this year to year increase as being partly attributable to the CFPB updating its student loan intake to include complaints about Federal student loan servicing in February 2016; and
• On a monthly basis, all product complaints minus complaints on money transfers increased over December numbers.

Highlighted Product: Credit Reporting

• The CFPB notes that the most common credit reporting complaint in July was incorrect information on credit reports, which been the case each time credit reporting is highlighted (76% of all credit reporting complaints);
• The CFPB report indicates that these complaints frequently involved difficulties with disputing credit reporting inaccuracies. A lot of these complaints involve issues with customer service.
• Many consumers additionally submitted complaints about inaccurate personal information on their reports involving incorrect or unrecognized names and addresses and “mixed” credit reports.
• The report also notes that complaints about hard credit inquiries are increasing. Consumers complain that hard inquiries appear when they did not take any action to apply for a loan.
• The report also notes that complaints about accounts being reported where the consumer is in bankruptcy are also on the rise.
• The Report notes that the Bureau is receiving complaints against specialty consumer reporting agencies and highlighted complaints involving rental, background, and employment screening complaints.