# CFPB contact on support page

- **Pattern:** `ab-001407` (`finserv-disclosure.consumer-protection.cfpb-contact`)
- **Severity:** medium
- **Lifecycle:** active
- **Last modified:** 2026-04-18
- **Canonical URL:** https://auditbuffet.com/patterns/ab-001407
- **License:** CC-BY-4.0 — attribute to AuditBuffet Pattern Catalog (https://auditbuffet.com/patterns/ab-001407)

## Why it matters

The Dodd-Frank Act §1034 requires covered financial institutions to cooperate with CFPB consumer complaint investigations and directs institutions to inform consumers of the CFPB's complaint process. A support page that lists only internal support channels gives users no path to external recourse when they believe the company has acted improperly. For consumer-facing financial products, CFPB contact information is not optional courtesy — it is a mandated disclosure in a supervised entity's customer-facing communications. The absence of this information signals to both regulators and users that the company is not operating as a supervised financial service.

## Severity rationale

Medium because omitting CFPB contact information on support pages directly contradicts Dodd-Frank §1034 cooperation requirements and signals non-compliance to bank examiners.

## Remediation

Add a dedicated CFPB contact section to your support or help page at `app/support/page.tsx`. Place it after internal support options, not buried at the bottom:

```tsx
// app/support/page.tsx
<section className="regulatory-contact">
  <h2>Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</h2>
  <p>
    If you have a complaint about our financial services that we have not
    resolved to your satisfaction, you may contact the CFPB:
  </p>
  <address>
    <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov">consumerfinance.gov</a><br />
    Phone: (855) 411-2372<br />
    1700 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552
  </address>
</section>
```

If the product spans multiple support pages (help center, FAQ, contact form), include at least one CFPB reference accessible from the top-level support landing page.

## Detection

- **ID:** `cfpb-contact`
- **Severity:** `medium`
- **What to look for:** Enumerate all support, help, contact, and FAQ pages. For each, check for Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) contact information. Count how many of the following CFPB contact details are present: (1) a link to consumerfinance.gov, (2) CFPB phone number, (3) CFPB mailing address. At least 1 is required.
- **Pass criteria:** The support or help page includes at least 1 CFPB contact method (website link, phone, or mailing address). The information is in a dedicated section, not buried in a paragraph of unrelated text. Quote the actual CFPB contact text found and the file path where it appears.
- **Fail criteria:** No CFPB contact information appears on any support, help, or contact page across the entire site.
- **Skip (N/A) when:** The project is not a consumer financial product (e.g., B2B-only financial API, non-regulated tool, or fintech infrastructure with no end-consumer users).
- **Detail on fail:** Quote the support page file path and describe what is present. Example: `"Support page at app/support/page.tsx lists internal support email and phone but provides no CFPB contact information. 0 of 3 CFPB contact methods present."`
- **Remediation:** Add CFPB contact information to your support page at `app/support/page.tsx` or `app/(marketing)/support/page.tsx`:

  ```tsx
  // app/support/page.tsx
  <section className="consumer-resources">
    <h2>Consumer Complaints & Regulatory Questions</h2>
    <p>
      Have a complaint about our service? You can file a complaint with the
      Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
    </p>
    <div className="cfpb-contact">
      <p>
        <strong>Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)</strong><br />
        Website: <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov">consumerfinance.gov</a><br />
        Phone: (855) 411-2372<br />
        Mail: 1700 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552
      </p>
    </div>
  </section>
  ```
- **Cross-reference:** For broader FTC consumer protection compliance (unfair practices, endorsement disclosures), the FTC Consumer Protection audit covers these topics comprehensively.

## External references

- external dodd-frank-1034 — https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/
- external cfpb-complaint-process — https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Taxons: regulatory-conformance, content-integrity

HTML version: https://auditbuffet.com/patterns/ab-001407