Publications - Financial Regulation
Consumer Publications
Consumer publications produced by the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation (downloaded as PDFs):
Banking
- Bank and Credit Union Accounts: Frequently Asked Questions
- What Account is Right for You? Account Ownership and Survivorship: What You Need to Know as a Maryland Consumer
Financial Services
- Check Cashing Services: What You Need to Know as a Maryland Consumer
- "Payday" Loans: What You Need to Know as a Maryland Consumer
- Debt Management Service Providers: What You Need to Know as a Maryland Consumer
Mortgages and Foreclosure
- Mortgage Late Don’t Wait: Factsheet for Maryland Homeowners
- Foreclosure: What You Need to Know as a Maryland Homeowner
- Que Debe Saber Sobre Las Ejecuciones Hipotecarias: Información Para Los Propietarios De Vivienda De Maryland
- Reverse Mortgages: What You Need to Know as a Maryland Homeowner
Student Loans
- Maryland Student Loan Borrower’s Bill of Rights
- Student Loan Ombudsman: What You Need to Know as a Student Loan Borrower
- Student Loan Ombudsman’s Student Loan Educational Toolkit
For identify theft information, see the Identity Theft Guide produced by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. Additional consumer publications from the Attorney General’s Office are available on the Consumer Protection Division’s website.
For Spanish-language publications, see the Spanish-language resources and financial tools produced by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
See also the list of federal government resources for consumers on our Consumer Support Services page.
Consumer Advisories

The Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation occasionally issues advisories for consumers about the financial service industries or activities regulated the Office. Subscribe to emails.
- Celebrating 2023 National Consumer Protection Week - March 9, 2023
- Avoid Becoming a Victim of Student Loan Debt Relief Scams - October 18, 2022
- Information for Consumers About Debt Settlement Services and Student Loan Debt Relief - October 6, 2022
- Options for Consumers Impacted by the Bankruptcy of Voyager Digital, LLC - September 21, 2022
- Cryptocurrency: Potential Risks to Consumers - August 4, 2022
- Notice to Consumers: Court Decision on So-Called Convenience Fees - June 8, 2022
- Mortgage Late? Don’t Wait! – April 5, 2022
- Information for Consumers: Federal Student Loan Servicer Announcement – Granite State to Cease Servicing Federal Student Loans - September 9, 2021
- COVID-19 Information for Consumers: Federal Relief for Student Loan Borrowers with Privately Held FFEL Loans in Default - April 6, 2021
- Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation Publishes Student Loan Borrower “Bill of Rights” - October 22, 2020
- Debt Collection: Your Rights as a Maryland Consumer - September 30, 2020
- Beware of COVID-19 Financial Fraud and Scams - May 6, 2020
- COVID-19 Information for Consumers: Payment Relief for Student Loans - March 27, 2020
- COVID-19 Information for Consumers: Continuing Your Banking and Financial Services Activities - March 18, 2020; REVISED March 19, 2020
- Credit Freezes and Unfreezes Now Free for Consumers - October 1, 2018
Archived Consumer Advisories
- Information for Consumers about the Equifax Data Breach
- Information for Consumers About Ocwen
- Consumer Debt Collection Actions - Senate Bill 771, Effective October 1, 2016 - November 4, 2016
- Changes to Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Regulations and Forms - Effective Feb. 1, 2015 - January 30, 2015
- Resolution of NBRS Financial Banks Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - October 2014 (Word)
- Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation Announces $2 Million Settlement with Western Sky Financial, CashCall, Inc. and Others - June 23, 2014
- Virtual Currencies: Risks for Buying, Selling, Transacting, and Investing - April 24, 2014
- The White House Office of the Press Secretary: President Obama Announces New Steps to Provide Housing Relief to Veterans and Servicemembers - March 6, 2012
- Alert - Who's Calling? That Debt Collector Could Be a Fake - February 28, 2012 (Word)
- Alert - Multistate Mortgage Servicer Settlement - Scam Phone Calls and E-mails - February 24, 2012 (Word)
- Federal Reserve Board Press Release, November 1, 2011: Borrowers Who Believe They Were Financially Harmed During the Mortgage Foreclosure Process by Four Institutions in 2009 and 2010 Can Now Request an Independent Review...
- Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) News Release, November 1, 2011: Independent Foreclosure Review Underway
- Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Regulations (COMAR 09.03.12.01 - .12) - Notice of Intent to Foreclose, Loss Mitigation Affidavit and Related Documents - October 25, 2011 (Word)
- Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Regulations (COMAR 09.03.12.01 - .12) - Effective Dates - October 24, 2011 (Word)
- Advisory - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Becomes Fully Operational - July 28, 2011 (Word)
- Advisory – House Bill 728: Residential Property Foreclosure: Required Documents – Timing of Mediation - June 14, 2011 (Word)
- Avoiding 'Card Skimming' at ATMs and Other Money Machines - OCC Advisory - June 1, 2011 (Word)
- Foreclosure Process Reform Bill - SB216/HB365 - December 14, 2009
- Emergency Mortgage Lender and Mortgage Loan Originator Regulations - July 1, 2009 (Word)
- Advisory: Attention Homeowners Facing Mortgage Difficulties – April 7, 2009 (Word)
- Attention Maryland Consumers Experiencing Credit Problems: Avoid Credit Services Businesses Making False Promises- November, 2008 (Word)
- Beware of High Cost "Economic Stimulus Payment" Anticipation Loans - March 10, 2008 (Word)
- Foreclosure Process Reform Bill - SB 216/HB 365 - April 3, 2008
- Credit Reporting Agencies Security Freezes 10-07 - October 10, 2007 (Word)
- Guidance on Nontraditional Mortgage Product Risks - October 4, 2006 (Word)