Illegal lending is policed state by state, so the most useful help is usually local. This page shows you how to find the three offices that matter in your state, plus the national directories that cover all fifty.
Your state attorney general
Every state attorney general runs a consumer protection division that takes complaints about illegal and predatory lending, almost always through a simple online form. Find yours through the National Association of Attorneys General directory. This is the first stop for reporting a lender operating in your state, and the process is walked through in how to report a loan shark.
Your state financial regulator
The agency that licenses lenders in your state can confirm whether a lender is licensed, and investigates those that are not. Two lookups cover this: the Conference of State Bank Supervisors directory of state regulators, and NMLS Consumer Access, where you can search any lender by name for free. For reference, the regulator goes by different names in different states:
| State | Financial regulator |
|---|---|
| California | Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) |
| Texas | Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) |
| Florida | Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) |
| New York | Department of Financial Services (DFS) |
| Pennsylvania | Department of Banking and Securities |
| Illinois | Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) |
| Ohio | Division of Financial Institutions, Department of Commerce |
| Georgia | Department of Banking and Finance |
| North Carolina | Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) |
| Michigan | Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) |
For any other state, the CSBS directory above lists the current agency. Search for the agency name plus “complaint” to reach the right form directly, and always confirm you are on a .gov or official state site.
Free legal help in your state
Whether an illegal loan is enforceable, and what to do about threats or repossession, are state law questions. Legal aid organizations answer them free for people who qualify. Find your local office through the Legal Services Corporation lookup, and see LawHelp.org for self-help resources by state.
Everything else local
United Way 211 is the master directory for local emergency help with rent, utilities, food, and medical bills, by phone or online, free and confidential. If money pressure is the reason a loan shark looks tempting, start there, then see alternatives to loan sharks.
Federal agencies, for completeness
The FTC and CFPB take complaints from any state, and the FBI takes tips at tips.fbi.gov when threats or organized activity are involved. All three are covered in context in how to report a loan shark.
Agency names and links verified against official directories at the time of writing. This page is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed August 2026.