Highlighted Resources

IMPORTANT ALERTS!

• Attorney General Warns Homeowners to Beware of Mortgage Settlement Scams
  Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, as part of National Consumer Protection Week, warned California homeowners to beware of phone solicitations from scam artists claiming to provide assistance related to the recent national mortgage settlement. View the news alert.
• Fraudulent Correspondence Regarding the Release of Funds Supposedly Under the Control of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Fictitious correspondence, allegedly issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) regarding funds purportedly under the control of the OCC and other government entities, is in circulation. Correspondence may be distributed via e-mail, fax, or postal mail. Read OCC Alert. View sample fraudulent document (PDF).
• National Mortgage Settlement
  The California Attorney General has reached a loan-servicing and foreclosure settlement with five major banks. If you are a homeowner struggling to pay your mortgage or facing foreclosure, or if you have already lost your home to foreclosure, it is possible that this settlement could help you. Not every homeowner will qualify for relief under this settlement. Those who do qualify may receive various forms of relief depending on their individual circumstances. For information about the National Mortgage Settlement, please see the California Attorney General’s press release and FAQ document. The federal government also has a National Mortgage Settlement web site with additional details.

DFI PRESS RELEASES

• 04/01/12 - State Agencies Highlight The Importance of Financial Literacy During the Month of April
• 03/23/12 - Telesis Community Credit Union Placed into Conservatorship
• 03/02/12 - Department of Financial Institutions Announces Participation in National Consumer Protection Week

CONSUMER RESOURCES

• May is Direct Deposit Month -
  Consider helping consumers learn about direct deposit for safety and convenience and to help them save. Also, by March 1, 2013 — 297 days left — everyone getting federal benefits by paper check will need to switch to electronic payments. This will save taxpayers $1 billion. Below are questions and answers about the U.S. Treasury’s Go Direct Campaign to help recipients of federal benefits to switch to direct deposit. Learn more about Go Direct.
• FDIC Money Smart News – News and Information about Financial Education from the FDIC –Spring 2012
  In This Issue: Message from the FDIC; Our Latest Success Stories: Money Smart Educators Who Use the Curriculum to Promote Financial Inclusion; FDIC, SBA Launch Small Business Financial Education Curriculum; FDIC Issues Tips on Payment Cards, Highlights Other Consumer Services During National Consumer Protection Week; FDIC Consumer Newsletter Features Banking Tips for Small Businesses; Advisory Committee Discusses "Safe Accounts," Mobile Banking and Prepaid Cards; How to Join, Benefit from the Money Smart Alliance Program; The FDIC's Consumer Response Center: Another Option for Assistance ;Application Deadlines Announced for Federal "Assets for Independence" Grants. Read the new issue now.
• Find a Community EventThe Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) brings information directly to consumers through outreach efforts such as presentations to community and consumer groups and distributing consumer information at community events. DFI also develops partnerships with other regulators, government agencies, financial services, community organizations and others who are working to help consumers become informed and proactive. To invite DFI to participate in a community event, please contact Alana Golden, DFI Public Information Officer agolden@dfi.ca.gov or 916-323-7012.

LICENSEE RESOURCES

• Earned Income Tax Credit Now it's easier to spread the word about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC Toolkit provides useful general and specialized marketing tools, including templates, statistics, fact sheets, how-to tips, specialized products and links to other helpful resources.
• Directo a MéxicoDirecto a México is an account-to-account service used to transfer money from a participating financial institution account in the US to an account at any bank in Mexico. The program was established by the Federal Reserve Banks and Banco de México. It’s ideal for reoccurring payments that can be programmed. Possible users of this channel are: U.S. financial institutions that already process direct deposit and send payments to Mexico. Consumers and businesses in the United States that need to send payments to Mexico through a low-cost, fast, and secure channel. U.S. financial institutions that are looking to expand their customer base to include individuals who have moved from Mexico to their community. Government, loan, pension, life insurance policies and other payments. Information for U.S. financial institutions interested in enrolling in Directo a México is available on the program’s Web site.
• All Federal Benefits to be Paid Electronically. Help Spread the Word! Partner with Go Direct®. The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently announced that all federal benefit and non-tax payments will soon be paid electronically. With this announcement, a change is in effect that will phase out millions of paper checks over the next 2-1/2 years. The Treasury Department's Go Direct® campaign needs the help of partner organizations to spread the word about this new requirement. NEW electronic materials, such as newsletter copy, are available and make sharing this information easy. You can also order NEW, free printed materials, such as fliers and posters, to display in your facilities and hand out at events. For more details, please visit www.GoDirect.org.