Consumer Resources
File a Consumer Complaint
Please note that this agency does not regulate commercial banks or trust companies. If you wish to file a complaint against one of these types of financial institution, please visit the State Division of Banking's website.
If you wish to file a complaint against a Colorado state-chartered credit union or state-chartered savings and loan, first determine if your institution is a state charter by referring to the list of regulated institutions found here. If found, you can file a complaint here.
A referral letter with a copy of the complaint will be forwarded to the regulated institution. The referral letter will be mailed within 7 days of the Division's receipt of the complaint, unless the complainant needs to be contacted for additional information. The referral letter will require the regulated institution to respond in writing within 14 days of the receipt of the letter. Division staff will review the complaint and the institution's response and then, as soon as possible after receipt of the institution's response, prepare a letter to the complainant with a copy to the regulated institution, explaining the findings and resolution of the complaint. The Division's overall goal is to respond to the consumer within 45 days of receipt of the complaint.
Does the name of your credit union include the word "federal"? If so, it is a federally-chartered credit union and you need to contact the federal regulator at the following:
- National Credit Union Administration
1230 W. Washington Street, Suite 301
Tempe, Arizona 85281
602-302-6000
Does your savings and loan include the words "federal," "federal savings bank" or "FSB" in its name? If so, it is a federally-chartered institution and you need to contact the federal regulator at the following:
- Comptroller of the Currency
Administrator of National Banks
Washington, DC 20219
800-613-6743 or TDD Number 713-658-0340
If you wish to file a complaint against a life care institution, first determine if your institution is found here. If found, you can file a complaint here.
A referral letter with a copy of the complaint will be forwarded to the regulated institution. The referral letter will be mailed within 7 days of the Division's receipt of the complaint, unless the complainant needs to be contacted for additional information. The referral letter will require the regulated institution to respond in writing within 14 days of the receipt of the letter. Division staff will review the complaint and the institution's response and then, as soon as possible after receipt of the institution's response, prepare a letter to the complainant with a copy to the regulated institution, explaining the findings and resolution of the complaint. The Division's overall goal is to respond to the consumer within 45 days of receipt of the complaint.
If your institution does not fit into any of the above categories, it may be chartered by another state. Please call the Division at 303-894-2336, and we will assist you in contacting the appropriate state regulator.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Credit Union/Savings & Loan Association
Q: How can I find out if I am eligible to join a credit union?
A: As a state regulatory agency, the Division of Financial Services cannot advise you on on potential eligibility. The Credit Union Association of Colorado does offer such a service. Also, you may simply call a credit union convenient to your home or work place and ask about membership eligibility requirements. The Division maintains a list of state-chartered credit unions, but there are also a large number of federal credit unions serving Colorado citizens.
Q: Is my money safe in a Colorado Savings and Loan Association or Credit Union?
A: Not one penny of insured savings has ever been lost by a depositor/member of a federally insured savings and loan or credit union. All Colorado savings and loan associations have SAIF (Savings Association Insurance Fund) coverage which is administered by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation). All Colorado credit unions that serve individual citizens have NCUA (National Credit Union Administration) coverage. Both of these insurance funds are administered by federal agencies and are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
If you don't find answers to your questions please call us at 303-894-2336.
- Federal Deposit Insurance
Q: How can I find out how to increase my insurance coverage?
A: Many federally-insured savings and loans and credit unions have literature that describes how a family may structure its accounts to increase coverage beyond $250,000. Consumers may also contact the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and National Credit Union Association (NCUA) directly for more information.
Q: How much does the FDIC's Savings Association Insurance Fund (SAIF) and NCUA insure?
A: The SAIF protects up to $250,000 for each savings and loan depositor. Share and deposit accounts in federally insured credit unions are insured up to $250,000, an amount equal to the insurance protection offered by the FDIC's SAIF. It should be emphasized that SAIF and NCUA insurance protect each legally defined depositor in an institution up to $250,000, not each account. Through the use of individual, joint tenancy and testamentary revocable trust accounts, it is possible for a family to increase insurance coverage well beyond $250,000. However, the consumer should exercise great care in establishing such accounts to ensure that the family's funds are fully insured.
Effective October 3, 2008, coverage limits for both the SAIF and the NCUA were increased to $250,000 for each individual depositor in retirement accounts such as Traditional and Roth IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) and Keogh accounts. This is in addition to the coverage described above for depositors in non-tax qualified accounts.
If you don't find answers to your questions please call us at 303-894-2336.
- Loans
Q: Which government agency do I contact with a problem or question related to a consumer loan that is not secured by real estate?
A: Consumer loans include both secured (such as auto loans) and unsecured (such as signature loans) credit, pay day loans, post-dated check cashing, credit cards and insurance premium financing. For consumer loans made by depository financial institutions operating in Colorado, contact the appropriate state or federal government agency as indicated in the answer to the previous question. For consumer loans made by other lenders such as finance companies, small loan companies or credit card issuers, contact the Administrator of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC) in the Colorado Attorney General's office, 303-866-4494. The UCCC provides certain consumer protections to borrowers on covered loans.
Q: Which government agency do I contact with a question or problem related to a mortgage loan?
A: There are a large number of businesses engaged in some aspect of mortgage lending. Many of these businesses are regulated by different state and federal government agencies, and many are not regulated comprehensively by any government body. Depository financial institutions operating in Colorado often make mortgage loans.
State and Federal Mortgage Lending Regulatory Agencies
If you don't find answers to your questions please call us at 303-894-2336.