(Washington, DC)—The Bowser Administration, through the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB), is kicking off National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) February 28 to March 6 with special programming for DC residents featuring a series of videos, podcasts, alerts and presentations.
Sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission, NCPW is an annual campaign that raises awareness of consumer protection programs and services on the federal, state and local level.
“In keeping with Mayor Bowser’s vision of inclusive prosperity and equality, DISB helps residents safeguard their hard-earned income and avoid fraud, scams and financial pitfalls. With 869 reports of scams and fraud in fiscal year 2020, DISB enforcement actions led to nearly $234,000 in recovery for District residents,” said DISB Commissioner Karima Woods.
DISB programming highlights during Consumer Protection Week include:
- DISB’s successful action in a District financial fraud case involving an elderly resident is spotlighted in the podcast “Real Life Regulators.”
- DISB’s Consumer Alerts include the latest warnings for District residents in areas such as COVID-19, Bitcoin and tax-filing related scams.
- DISB’s Foreclosure Prevention Program provides residents with resources including foreclosure mediation, housing counseling and access to legal aid for homeowners. Call the Foreclosure Prevention Hotline at (202) 265-2255.
- DISB’s complaint resolution process is designed to help residents address home, auto, business, and other insurance problems as well as issues with financial institutions. File a complaint or report fraud: Contact DISB at (202) 727-800 or disb.dc.gov/service/file-complaint-or-report-fraud, or contact the FTC at (202) 326-2222 or ftc.gov/faq/consumer-protection/submit-consumer-complaint-ftc.
- DISB’s Student Loan Ombudsman meets virtually with families and students to identify sources of funding for secondary education and helps them minimize and handle student loan debt. Contact the Student Loan Ombudsman at (202) 442-8000 or visit disb.dc.gov/studentloanhelp.
Additional Resources Offered by DISB
- Bank accounts with low minimum balance requirements and no or low-cost monthly fees: Call (202) 727-8000 or visit bankondc.org.
- Financial Navigators Program—Access remote, confidential financial navigators who can help you manage money and connect to resources, free! Call (202) 231-7908 or visit disb.dc.gov/node/1523816.
- Personalized financial education tools and resources: Call (202) 727-8000 or visit welcome.financiallyfitdc.com.
For more information, call DISB at (202) 727-8000, visit disb.dc.gov, or follow us on Twitter @DCDISB and on Facebook.
About DISB
Our mission is three-fold: (1) cultivate a regulatory environment that protects consumers and attracts and retains financial services firms to the District; (2) empower and educate residents; and (3) support the development and expansion of business.