On August 14, 2026, the CFPB announced that it is ceasing publication of unverified complaint narratives and visualizations. The Bureau stated that publishing unverified complaint narratives and related data visualizations in the Consumer Complaint Database is discretionary and provides limited value because the information is one-sided, unverified, and may create a misleading picture of companies’ legal compliance.

To better align its operations with its statutory authorities and reduce the risk of publishing confusing or misleading information, the CFPB will instead make previously published narratives available through its FOIA Reading Room, considering them to be in the public domain for FOIA purposes. The CFPB, however, will continue to collect, monitor, and respond to consumer complaints and assess companies’ responses for completeness, accuracy, and timeliness. It will also continue to securely share complaint information with other regulators and agencies and disclose certain data in response to FOIA requests.

Read the CFPB’s announcement here.

Adam Witmer

Adam Witmer is a speaker, author, and founder of the Compliance Cohort. Adam has taught hundreds of seminars and training sessions to thousands of bankers throughout the United States and teaches on all areas of regulatory compliance. Adam has written five e-books that he never published, hit a grizzly bear while driving in a National Park, and is an award winning photographer and musician (though he no longer takes photos nor plays any instruments). In his spare time, Adam can be found kayaking on the lake, doing taekwondo with his kids, working on his (project) house, or spending time with his family.

Website

Become a Free Member