Credit CardsIn its work plan updated as of September 30, 2013, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Fed and CFPB has delayed the dates for when it expects to begin or complete several CFPB projects from the corresponding dates contained in the OIG’s work plan updated as of August 30, 2013. 

More specifically, the OIG has pushed back from the third quarter of 2013 to the fourth quarter of 2013 its expected completion dates for its evaluation of the CFPB’s practice of having its enforcement attorneys attend examinations and its evaluation of the CFPB’s hiring process.  Also pushed back from the third quarter of 2013 to the fourth quarter of 2013 is the date when the OIG plans to begin its audit of the CFPB’s public consumer complaint database.  

The OIG also issued audit reports on the CFPB’s purchase card and travel card programs.  With regard to the purchase card program, the OIG found several instances of noncompliance with applicable policies and procedures, including that cardholders (some of whom were no longer with the CFPB) were missing supporting documentation in their purchase card files and had not documented the reasons for using convenience checks. 

The problems the OIG found with the CFPB’s government travel card program were more serious, with the OIG stating that “controls are not designed or operating effectively to
(1) prevent and detect unauthorized and fraudulent use of [travel cards] and (2) provide reasonable assurance that cards are properly monitored and closed out.”  Among the OIG’s specific findings were instances of cardholders charging unauthorized amounts to their travel cards and claiming and receiving reimbursement for unallowable expenses and the CFPB’s travel office failing to ensure cardholders could not exceed their daily cash advance limits and send past-due account notifications to the appropriate individuals.  Among other recommendations, the OIG  recommends that the CFPB seek reimbursement from the cardholders who were paid  for unallowable expenses and cardholders’ supervisors review and approve travel authorizations and vouchers.