CFPB

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) monthly complaint report released last week highlighted a slew of complaints from older consumers.

The snapshot showed that older consumers frequently report servicing problems with reverse mortgages, difficulties recovering money after financial scams, confusion around deferred interest credit cards and charges for unauthorized add-on products.

The snapshot provides an overview and analysis of more than 103,100 complaints submitted to the bureau by consumers voluntarily reporting their age as 62 or older.

“Older consumers who may be on a fixed income are at a greater risk for financial trouble if they encounter problems with financial products or services,” CFPB Director Richard Cordray said in a statement. “The complaints submitted by older consumers are important for the bureau to ensure we are properly looking out for this segment of the population.”

With more than 10,000 Americans turning 62 every day, older consumers are one of the fastest growing consumer groups in the marketplace, the report stated. The findings below highlight issues that, while relevant to consumers of all ages, are seen more frequently in complaints submitted in 2017 by older consumers:

  • Complaint volume: For March 2017, debt collection was the most-complained-about financial product or service by consumers identifying as over the age of 62. Of the 2,169 older consumer complaints handled in March, there were 496 complaints about debt collection. The second most-complained-about consumer product was mortgages, which accounted for 486 complaints. Credit reporting was the third most-complained-about financial product or service, accounting for 326 complaints.
  • Product trends: Complaints related to mortgages have accounted for 26 percent of all older consumer complaints submitted to the bureau since 2011. This is 10 percent higher than the proportion of mortgage complaints from consumers under 62.
  • State information: California, Florida and Texas are the three states with the most complaints from older consumers, accounting for nearly one fourth of all complaints from older consumers since the bureau began accepting complaints in July 2011.

Older Consumers Report Financial Issues In CFPB’s Monthly Snapshot

by Banker & Tradesman time to read: 1 min
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