Maryland Legal Alert for Financial Services
CFPB Ends Publication of Unverified Consumer Complaint Narratives in Consumer Complaint Database
Since 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has been publishing unverified consumer complaint narratives and visualizations in the Consumer Complaint Database (CCD) at its discretion. On August 14, 2026, the CFPB announced its decision to cease publication of unverified consumer complaint narratives. The CFPB explained that this decision was motivated by several concerns: the narratives present one-sided consumer perspectives and fail to provide a balanced and accurate view of the company; publicizing such complaints provides minimal utility, causes confusion, and misleads consumers; and the publications harm the reputations of companies. Many published complaints do not allege violations of the law, and the CFPB’s complaint process does not verify the accuracy of the consumer’s allegations prior to publication. In conclusion, publishing consumer narratives in the CCD provides a biased presentation that does not accurately reflect the full circumstances of each situation.
The CFBP will continue to maintain the CCD in compliance with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
For more information concerning this topic, please contact Christopher R. Rahl or Peri L. Schuster.
Christopher R. Rahl
410-576-4222 • crahl@gfrlaw.com
Peri L. Schuster
410-576-4005 • pschuster@gfrlaw.com