January 2026

LA Wildfires One-Year Mark

January marks the one-year anniversary of the LA wildfires. California continues to offer help for homeowners who lost their homes in this devastating disaster. Learn more about relief on our LA wildfires resources page.

Earlier this month, Governor Newsom announced new commitments from major national lenders to offer additional forbearance of up to 90 days to LA firestorm victims. He also expanded eligibility for the CalAssist Mortgage Fund, which provides mortgage assistance grants to homeowners. Other important wildfire resources and assistance include:

AB 238 Homeowner Protections

In September, Governor Newsom signed into law AB 238, which provides more homeowner protections for survivors of the LA wildfires. The law includes:

Up to 12 months of mortgage payment forbearance
Prohibitions on mortgage lenders from requiring a lump sum or “balloon” payment from some homeowners
No late fees

California Homeowner Bill of Rights Foreclosure Protections

If you are at risk of foreclosure, a mortgage servicer must contact borrowers at least 30 days before starting the foreclosure process to discuss their financial situation and explore options to avoid foreclosure. Find out more about homeowners’ rights from the California Attorney General’s Office.

Submit a Complaint

If you are experiencing a problem with your mortgage lender or servicer, or you believe you have been a victim of a mortgage relief scam or fraud, tell us about it. Report fraud and scams to local law enforcement.

6-Step Financial Plan for 2026

The start of the year is a perfect time to take charge of your financial future. Follow this guide to help get you started.

Our Latest Webinar

Explore a new topic each month with our protect yourself from fraud and consumer financial education webinar series. Find in-person community events in your local region.

Protect Yourself from Romance Scams

Feb. 4: 1 - 2 p.m.

Romance scams can result in devastating financial and emotional losses, often leaving victims feeling isolated and ashamed. Learn ways to identify, avoid, and report these schemes.

Virtual Events

Financial Literacy Webinar Series by the DFPI and San Mateo County Libraries

Feb. 2: Building Generational Wealth
Feb. 12: Budgeting to Financial Success
Feb. 23: Protect Yourself from A.I. and Crypto Scams

In-Person Event

Feb. 25: Senior Scam Stopper | Laguna Woods

DFPI News & Updates

New Consumer Success Stories Series

DFPI helps thousands of people tackle unfair deceptive practices and errors. From working to prevent foreclosures after wildfires to helping seniors avoid scams, these stories show how we protect consumers’ financial interests. Read our new collection of Consumer Success Stories and see the DFPI difference in action.

CalMoneySmart: How the DFPI Offers Financial Support Through its Programs

The DFPI protects consumers in many ways including by investing in community-based financial education programs like CalMoneySmart. The 2023-24 Annual Report highlights the program’s growing statewide impact — more than 11,000 unbanked and underbanked Californians in 35 counties received support from 15 nonprofit grantees.

One grantee, the Center for Living and Learning (CLL), helped Rafael gain the budgeting, saving, and debt management skills that transformed his life. Today, he’s passing these financial skills on to others as a CLL staff member.

“Budgeting has become a part of my lifestyle, and it’s allowed me to make big changes in my life. Saving is an activity, not an amount.” - Rafael R.

Consumer Alerts & Enforcement Actions

RockItCoin Crypto Kiosk Violation – We ordered crypto kiosk operator RockItCoin to return $202,000 to California customers who were overcharged and pay a penalty of $75,000.

Nexo Capital Inc. Settlement – We announced a settlement with Nexo Capital Inc. (Nexo), a company offering crypto-backed loans and services. The company will pay $500,000 in penalties for making loans to California residents without a valid license. A DFPI investigation discovered that Nexo offered consumer and commercial loans to at least 5,456 Californians without first considering their ability to make repayments.

Has someone used your personal information to open accounts, steal your tax refund, or file fake health insurance claims? That’s identity theft. Learn more about the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Identity Theft Awareness Week 2026. There are educational events on how to help avoid this problem, recover if it happens, and tips to spot scams.

KC Mohseni
Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation