Here are the facts:  No one regulatory agency exists to monitor behavior and address consumer complaints, so you need to complain or report a violation to the following locations, compliments of Credit Cards.com.

The Federal Reserve oversees some state banks and all banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System.

Toll Free: 1-888-851-1920

TTY: 877-766-8533
Fax: 877-888-2520

Mail: Federal Reserve Consumer Help
PO Box 1200
Minneapolis, MN 55480

Online complaint form: http://www.federalreserveconsumerhelp.gov/?District=13

If the credit card company in question has the word “national” (or the initials “N.A.”) in its name, contact the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Toll Free: 800-613-6743

TDD Number: 713-658-0340

Fax: 713-336-4301

Mail:  Customer Assistance Group,
1301 McKinney Street, Suite 3450
Houston, TX 77010

Online complaint form: https://appsec.helpwithmybank.gov/olcc_form/

If you are dealing with a credit union with the word “federal” in its name, or if the credit union is located in Delaware, South Dakota, Wyoming, or D.C., contact the National Credit Union Administration at 1-800-755-1030.

For state-chartered credit unions not located in Delaware, South Dakota, Wyoming, or D.C., and for state-chartered banks, click here for the appropriate state regulatory agency.

Thrifts, savings, loan associations, and federally chartered savings banks are regulated by the Office of Thrift Supervisors.

Toll Free: 800-842-6929

TTY: 800-877-8339

Fax: 202-906-7342

Mail:  Office of Thrift Supervision
1700 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20552

Email: consumer.complaint@ots.treas.gov

Regardless of which banking regulator you contact, be sure to keep records. Start by contacting the credit card issuer directly. Record the person’s name, date of the call, and the details of the call. Keep asking to speak with a supervisor until you have exhausted your resources at the credit card company. With your detailed notes in hand, contact the appropriate banking regulator and explain your problem. Per the Credit Card Act of 2009, keeping good records will help expedite a resolution.

According to the Federal Reserve’s website:

The proposed rules would prohibit dormancy, inactivity, and service fees on gift cards unless: (1) there has been at least one year of inactivity on the certificate or card; (2) no more than one such fee is charged per month; and (3) the consumer is given clear and conspicuous disclosures about the fees. Expiration dates for funds underlying gift cards must be at least five years after the date of issuance, or five years after the date when funds were last loaded.

Gift cards are basically cash that a person pays to a business, in advance.  In fact, Consumer Reports states that one out of four gift cards will go unused, at a cost of $8 Billion Dollars!

If you are going to make real change in this world, do what is right and fair.  Gift cards with no fees is the right move.

Give me your thoughts below!

Suffering not only from the recession, but also from the new restrictions mandated by Congress, banks are passing the buck—or rather, they are grabbing the bucks wherever they can find them by increasing interest rates to make ends meet.

With the holiday season fast approaching, this is bad news for consumers who turn to credit cards to finance their holiday shopping. To stave off compounding interest charges—and the holiday hangover that corresponds with mounting credit card bills, we suggest leaving the credit cards at home when headed to a mall. Instead, follow this plan:

1. Make a budget for each person on your shopping list.
2. Label envelopes with the names of each person for whom you are buying a present.
3. Place the amount of cash appropriated for each person inside the respective envelope—no more and no less.

When purchasing a present, withdraw cash from the appropriate wallet. This method creates a psychological barrier to impulse shopping. If you are tempted to splurge on a gift—let’s say you are robbing from Peter’s envelope to buy a gift for Paul—you will be dissuaded when you realize you will need to withdraw money from another person’s wallet to cover the extra cost of the gift.

If you want a copy of my book, “Preventing the Credit Holiday Hangover,” submit a comment below with your best money saving technique.  I’ll email the book out to you immediately!