The CFPB says it's looking out for consumers. Data tells a different story

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has sharply curtailed enforcement under the Trump administration even as complaints about financial companies have risen. A review of CFPB data found that complaints against 17 of 23 firms named in lawsuits the bureau later abandoned increased, with complaints across those firms up by more than 75%. Complaints about Rocket Mortgage rose over 130%, and those about Branch Messenger rose 315%. Across the bureau’s public database, complaints grew from nearly 2.7 million in 2024 to 6.3 million so far in 2026. The contrast is striking: the CFPB brought nearly 400 enforcement actions between 2012 and early 2025, which it said produced more than $21bn in restitution and canceled debt, but has announced only two since Trump took office. Former bureau staff say consumers’ reports are going unanswered; the agency’s current leadership argues the CFPB was weaponized and harmed businesses and borrowers.

A West Virginia couple’s dispute with Berkshire Hathaway’s Clayton Homes and Vanderbilt Mortgage illustrates the concerns. They alleged that a manufactured home advertised at just over $250,000 was repriced above $290,000 before closing; their lawsuit was settled confidentially. The CFPB had separately accused Vanderbilt of making loans without adequately assessing borrowers’ ability to repay, while other private suits raised similar affordability concerns. Complaints against Vanderbilt rose from 84 to 117 in the year after the CFPB dropped its case. Vanderbilt says that increase is small relative to its lending and servicing volume, and maintains that its underwriting and disclosures meet legal requirements. The reporting presents the enforcement retreat as part of a broader effort to weaken the bureau, leaving consumers with fewer government actions even as complaints mount.