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Unauthorized Banking

An unauthorized bank is any financial institution operating without a license or charter.

You can report information you have about such institutions to the OCC via

Email: OCC Alert Responses
Mail: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Enforcement & Compliance Division, 400 7th Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20219

The "Charters" booklet of the Comptroller's Licensing Manual provides guidance concerning the licensing procedures of the OCC relating to the granting of charters to national banks and federal savings associations (FSA). Before establishing a national bank or an FSA, each organizing group must apply to, and obtain approval from, the OCC.

National banks and FSAs are chartered under different legal authorities. As such, laws, regulations, and rulings applying to each charter are sometimes different, although many laws and requirements apply to both charter types.

To confirm who regulates your bank, please visit Who Regulates My Bank? To confirm your bank or branch is FDIC-insured, visit BankFind Suite: Find Institutions by Name & Location.


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