Case review in progress — Washington, D.C. Field Office
Bureau of Consumer Protection
Federal Enforcement Authority
We Enforce.We Recover.We Protect.
File a complaint. It takes less than five minutes and it triggers a federal record.
Have you experienced this?
These are real questions from consumers who filed with us. If your situation sounds familiar, you likely have a case — and we've seen it before.
“I was charged for something I never bought.”
Unauthorized charges are a federal violation. Your bank is required by law to investigate disputes within 10 business days and provisionally credit your account. If they refuse, that refusal itself is a reportable violation. Your complaint creates a federal record that regulators use to identify patterns — a single complaint can surface a company charging thousands of consumers.
“My bank won't reverse a charge I didn't make.”
Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, banks must investigate disputed transactions. A bank that refuses a legitimate dispute without proper investigation is in violation of federal law. Shield has enforcement authority over all federally chartered banks and most state-chartered institutions. We can compel investigation, order restitution, and levy fines against institutions that deny valid claims.
“I keep getting calls about a debt I already paid.”
Collecting on a paid debt is illegal under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. You are entitled to $1,000 in statutory damages per violation, plus actual damages and attorney's fees — without proving you were harmed beyond the harassment itself. Shield maintains a real-time registry of debt collector violations. Your complaint is matched against existing patterns and may qualify you for an active class action.
“Someone opened a credit card in my name.”
Identity theft triggers a federal fraud investigation, not just a credit dispute. Filing here creates an official Identity Theft Report that creditors are legally required to honor — they must remove fraudulent accounts within four business days of receiving it. This report also activates your right to a free credit freeze at all three bureaus and extended fraud alerts. Shield coordinates directly with the FTC, FBI, and Secret Service on organized identity theft rings.
“A lender added fees that weren't in my contract.”
Charging fees not disclosed in your original loan agreement violates the Truth in Lending Act. Shield's enforcement teams conduct regular sweeps of lender fee disclosures. We have recovered over $800M from lenders who buried junk fees in mortgage closings, auto loan contracts, and personal loan statements. You may be entitled to full fee reimbursement plus civil penalties.
The numbers behind the authority.
These figures represent real dollars returned to real people — not projections, not estimates.
All figures verified by independent audit. Annual reports available under FOIA.
View Full Annual Report →Check if a company has a violation record.
Search our public enforcement database. Every action we've taken — every fine levied, every settlement ordered, every consent decree signed — is on record. Transparency is enforcement.
Try: "National Credit", "Apex Lending", "QuickLoan", or "Premier Debt"
File your complaint. Start a federal record.
This form takes under five minutes. Every submission is reviewed by a federal investigator. You are not alone in this.