Attorney General and CFPB Complaint Pack - North Carolina

CONSUMER COMPLAINT PACK — NC ATTORNEY GENERAL & CFPB

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Part A — Cover Letter
• Part B — Sworn Consumer Complaint
• Part C — Document Index
• Part D — CFPB Online Filing Worksheet
• Part E — Other NC Agency Routing Guide
• North Carolina Practice Notes
• Sources and References

PART A — COVER LETTER

[DATE]

Via [Online Portal / Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested]

Consumer Protection Division

North Carolina Department of Justice

9001 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

Re: Consumer Complaint Against [BUSINESS / RESPONDENT NAME]

Conduct: [brief — e.g., abusive debt collection / FCRA violation / deceptive auto sale / unfair fee]

Estimated Loss: $[__________]

Dear Consumer Protection Division:

I respectfully submit this consumer complaint against [RESPONDENT NAME] for conduct that, in my view, violates the North Carolina Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-1.1, [and/or] [specify other authority — e.g., the N.C. Collection Agency Act, the N.C. Identity Theft Protection Act, the FDCPA, the FCRA, the TILA].

Enclosed are:

1. A sworn Consumer Complaint detailing the facts (Part B);
2. A document index identifying each enclosed exhibit (Part C); and
3. Copies of all relevant communications, contracts, statements, and correspondence.

I am also filing a parallel complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau [and the following N.C. agencies: ____________].

I authorize the Consumer Protection Division to share this complaint and supporting documents with the respondent for purposes of mediation and investigation. I request:

• (a) Investigation of the conduct described and, where warranted, formal enforcement under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-14 (injunctive) and § 75-15.2 (civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation);
• (b) Restitution under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-15.1; and
• (c) Mediation assistance to obtain a refund / cure / credit-report correction / cease of unlawful conduct.

I am willing to participate in mediation and to provide further information upon request. Please confirm receipt and provide a complaint reference number.

Sincerely,

[________________________________]

[CONSUMER FULL NAME]

[STREET ADDRESS]

[CITY, NC ZIP]

[PHONE] [EMAIL]

Enclosures: Sworn Consumer Complaint; Document Index; Exhibits 1-[__].

PART B — SWORN CONSUMER COMPLAINT

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

COUNTY OF [_______________]

I, [CONSUMER FULL NAME], being first duly sworn, depose and say:

1. Complainant Information

2. Respondent Information

3. Transaction Summary

3.1. Date of transaction or first contact: [__/__/____]

3.2. How contact was made: ☐ In person ☐ Telephone ☐ Internet ☐ Mail ☐ Email ☐ Text ☐ Door-to-door

3.3. Amount paid / claimed / lost: $[__________]

3.4. Method of payment: ☐ Cash ☐ Check ☐ Credit card ☐ Debit card ☐ ACH ☐ Wire ☐ Money order ☐ Other: [_______________]

3.5. Was a written contract signed? ☐ Yes ☐ No (if yes, copy attached as Exhibit ____)

4. Statement of Facts

4.1. [Provide a chronological narrative. Use numbered subparagraphs. Identify each communication by date, time, medium, sender, and content. Quote material representations verbatim where possible. Identify each witness by name, address, and relationship.]

4.2. ____________________________________________________________________

4.3. ____________________________________________________________________

4.4. ____________________________________________________________________

5. Statutes and Regulations Implicated

The conduct above implicates, inter alia, the following:

• ☐ N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-1.1 (UDTPA — unfair or deceptive acts);
• ☐ N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 58-70-90 to 58-70-130 (Collection Agency Act);
• ☐ N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 75-60 to 75-66 (Identity Theft Protection Act);
• ☐ Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.;
• ☐ Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.;
• ☐ Truth in Lending Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq. / Reg. Z;
• ☐ Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227;
• ☐ Other: [_______________].

6. Resolution Sought

I seek the following resolution from the respondent:

• ☐ Refund of $[__________];
• ☐ Cancellation of contract / debt;
• ☐ Removal of inaccurate tradeline from consumer report(s);
• ☐ Cease unlawful collection / contact;
• ☐ Repair / replacement / re-performance;
• ☐ Apology / written assurance;
• ☐ Other: [_______________].

7. Prior Efforts to Resolve

I have already taken the following steps:

• ☐ Contacted respondent by [date(s)], results: [describe];
• ☐ Filed BBB complaint on [date], ref. no. [__________];
• ☐ Disputed credit-report tradeline on [date];
• ☐ Sent demand letter on [date];
• ☐ Filed police report on [date], report no. [__________];
• ☐ Filed CFPB complaint on [date], ref. no. [__________];
• ☐ Other: [describe].

8. Litigation Status

• ☐ I have NOT filed suit against respondent.
• ☐ I HAVE filed suit. Court / Case No.: [_______________].
• ☐ I have retained counsel: [Name / Firm / Phone].

9. Authorization and Verification

I authorize the North Carolina Department of Justice to share this complaint and the attached documents with the respondent and with other federal, state, and local agencies for purposes of investigation, mediation, and enforcement. The foregoing statements are true and correct to the best of my personal knowledge, except those matters stated upon information and belief, and as to those I believe them to be true.

Date: [__/__/____]

[________________________________]

[CONSUMER FULL NAME]

Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me this [____] day of [_______________], 20[____].

[________________________________]

Notary Public

(My Commission Expires: [_______________])

PART C — DOCUMENT INDEX

PART D — CFPB ONLINE FILING WORKSHEET

Use this worksheet to draft the CFPB online complaint at https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/. The CFPB requires concise narrative answers; copy these into the portal.

After submission the CFPB will assign a complaint ID, forward to the company for a response within 15 days, and publish an anonymized version on the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database (if authorized).

PART E — OTHER NC AGENCY ROUTING GUIDE

NORTH CAROLINA PRACTICE NOTES

• Civil-penalty leverage. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-15.2, the AG may seek civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation. Restitution and disgorgement are available under § 75-15.1.
• Concurrent enforcement. Under 12 U.S.C. § 5552, state AGs may enforce CFPA UDAAP claims; pre-suit notice to the CFPB is required.
• Mediation not adjudication. The AG's typical first response is informal mediation. Adjudicatory enforcement occurs in separate civil actions in Wake County Superior Court (or appropriate venue).
• Public-record nature. CFPB complaints (with consumer narratives, if authorized) are published on the public Consumer Complaint Database. NC AG complaints are subject to public-records laws but generally redacted.
• Tolling. A regulatory complaint does NOT toll the SOL on a private action. Diary the FDCPA (1 yr), UDTPA (4 yrs), FCRA (2 yrs from discovery / 5 yrs absolute), and TCPA (4 yrs) limitations and act independently.
• Class action / multi-plaintiff implications. Patterns of conduct documented through AG/CFPB complaints often supply the predicate for follow-on class actions. Preserve documentary evidence in original form.
• Pro se vs. counsel. Either may file an AG/CFPB complaint; engaging counsel typically improves drafting precision and increases enforcement traction.

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• File a Complaint — N.C. Department of Justice — https://ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/
• N.C. AG Consumer Protection Division — https://ncdoj.gov/protecting-consumers/
• General Consumer Complaint form — https://ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/consumer-complaint/
• CFPB Submit a Complaint — https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/
• CFPB Consumer Complaint Database — https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/consumer-complaints/
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-1.1 et seq. — https://www.ncleg.gov/Laws/GeneralStatuteSections/Chapter75
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-15.2 (civil penalties)
• 12 U.S.C. § 5552 (state AG enforcement of CFPA)
• N.C. Department of Justice main address: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; (877) 566-7226

Disclaimer: This template is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. An attorney licensed in North Carolina must review and customize this document before use.