Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Thursday unveiled a new, streamlined system for residents to report consumer complaints and access state assistance.
The governor cited the increased efforts at the state level to fill a void left by weakened federal protections.
The Democratic governor announced a centralized hotline, website, and email address designed to make it easier for Pennsylvanians to address issues ranging from scams and financial exploitation to insurance claim denials and student loan servicing problems.
Shapiro’s administration framed the initiative as a direct response to recent shifts and cuts by President Donald Trump’s administration at the federal level.
Shapiro pointed to actions within the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) following reported directives to scale back consumer protection effort.
“Here in Pennsylvania, we have some of the strongest consumer protection laws in the country,” Shapiro said in a statement. “That means agencies like the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and the Department of Banking and Securities have the power to stand up for consumers when they get ripped off or scammed.”
The new resources connect consumers with the appropriate state agencies: the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, which tackles financial exploitation and predatory lending; the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, which resolves insurance-related disputes; and other agencies overseeing utilities, student loans, and professional licensing.
State officials highlighted the impact of their existing consumer protection efforts.
In 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities and the Insurance Department collectively returned over $22 million to consumers. Banking and securities regulators handled more than 10,000 inquiries and took nearly 40 enforcement actions, while the Insurance Department processed nearly 17,000 consumer complaints, a rise from the previous year, according to officials.
“We are so glad to be part of this new roll out and stepping up for Pennsylvanians where they need us most,” said Department of Banking and Securities Secretary Wendy Spicher.
“Not often do you hear someone say they want more complaints, but we do,” said Pennsylvania Insurance Department Commissioner Michael Humphreys. “We want Pennsylvanians to know that PID is here to help. We have a team at PID ready to help answer insurance questions, mediate adverse decisions, investigate alleged wrongdoing, and ensure we have a competitive insurance marketplace. We may never be a household name, but we’ll never stop trying.”
Shapiro’s office emphasized that the state is expanding its use of enforcement authority granted under the Dodd-Frank Act, which allows state regulators to enforce federal consumer protection laws when federal agencies are perceived to be inactive. The authority includes investigating predatory lending, student loan servicing abuses, insurance fraud, and deceptive financial practices.
The contact points for consumers are a toll-free hotline at 1-866-PACOMPLAINT (1-866-722-6675), a dedicated website at pa.gov/consumer, and an email address at consumer@pa.gov.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was established in 2011 and has reportedly returned $21 billion to defrauded consumers. Recent reports indicated a shift in the bureau’s direction and proposed steep cuts. The agency released a statement this week suggesting it continues to operate.
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