FOIA Request Bundle

Freedom of Information Act requests to multiple federal agencies. May reveal monetization of your promissory note, regulatory violations, and information the bank doesn't want you to have.

Legal Authority

5 USC 552

Response Required

20 Business Days

Fee Waiver

Usually Available

Agencies

7 Key Agencies

Why Send FOIA Requests?

Government agencies hold records about your loan that the bank won't voluntarily disclose:

Federal Reserve — May show your note was monetized at discount window
SEC — Reveals securitization and who really owns your loan
CFPB — Shows complaints and enforcement against your servicer
OCC/FDIC — Bank examination records and violations

Target Agencies

What they have: Discount window transactions, member bank transactions, promissory note monetization records

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Attention: FOIA Office
20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20551
Email: foia-pa@frb.gov

The Fed may have records of your promissory note being discounted. They process member bank transactions at the discount window. This could prove your note was monetized, not "loaned" money.

What they have: National bank examination reports, enforcement actions, complaints, regulatory violations

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Disclosure Officer
400 7th Street SW, Suite 3E-218
Washington, DC 20219
Online: https://appsec.occ.gov/publicaccesslink/palMain.aspx

OCC regulates national banks (those with "National" or "N.A." in name). They have examination reports showing bank practices and may have complaints about your specific bank.

What they have: State-chartered bank examination reports, deposit insurance records, bank failure information

FDIC FOIA/Privacy Act Group
550 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20429
Email: efoia@fdic.gov

FDIC regulates state-chartered banks that are not Federal Reserve members. Has records of bank examinations and safety/soundness reviews.

What they have: Mortgage-backed securities filings, securitization documents, trust information

Securities and Exchange Commission
FOIA Office
100 F Street NE
Washington, DC 20549
Online: https://www.sec.gov/foia-request

SEC has records if your loan was securitized (sold to investors). Can provide Pooling and Servicing Agreements. Shows if loan transfer violated securities laws and may prove chain of title is broken.

What they have: Consumer complaints, examination reports, enforcement actions, mortgage market data

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Chief FOIA Officer
1700 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20552
Email: FOIA@consumerfinance.gov

CFPB has extensive complaint data about mortgage servicers. May have examination reports on your servicer and tracks patterns of abuse.

What they have: Currency issuance records, banking policy, TARP funds, financial stability programs

Department of the Treasury
FOIA and Privacy Act Office
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20220
Online: https://treasury.gov/foia

Treasury oversees currency issuance and banking policy. May have TARP or bailout records for your bank. Has policies on Federal Reserve Note creation.

What they have: FHA loan records, RESPA violations, settlement statement data, fair housing complaints

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of General Counsel, FOIA Office
451 7th Street SW, Room 10110
Washington, DC 20410
Email: foia@hud.gov

HUD oversees RESPA compliance, has FHA loan insurance records, tracks fair housing and lending discrimination, and may have your settlement statement (HUD-1).

Template - Federal Reserve Request

Adapt this template for each agency, adjusting the specific records requested based on what that agency holds.

[YOUR FULL NAME]
[YOUR STREET ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[YOUR EMAIL]

[DATE]

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL AND EMAIL

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Attention: FOIA Office
20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20551
Email: foia-pa@frb.gov

RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST
Expedited Processing Requested

Dear FOIA Officer:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, I hereby request the following records:

RECORDS REQUESTED:

1. Discount Window Transactions:

All records of discount window transactions involving promissory note(s) associated with:

Loan Number: [YOUR LOAN NUMBER]
Property Address: [PROPERTY ADDRESS]
Borrower Name: [YOUR NAME AS ON LOAN]
Original Lender: [ORIGINAL LENDER NAME]
Approximate Date: [LOAN ORIGINATION DATE]

2. Member Bank Transactions:

All records of transactions between [BANK NAME] and the Federal Reserve regarding the above-referenced loan, including but not limited to:

Discount window advances
Collateral pledged
Promissory note deposits or discounting
Credit extensions based on promissory notes

3. Promissory Note Monetization:

All records showing how promissory notes are processed, monetized, or used as collateral for creating Federal Reserve Notes or bank reserves, specifically relating to my loan.

4. Bank Examination Records:

Any examination records, reports, or correspondence regarding [BANK NAME]'s handling of mortgage loans, promissory notes, or discount window usage during the period of [YEAR RANGE].

5. Policy Documents:

Current policies and procedures regarding:

Acceptance of promissory notes as collateral
Discount window operations
Creation of bank reserves from promissory notes
Federal Reserve Note issuance based on commercial paper

TIME PERIOD: [LOAN ORIGINATION DATE] to present

PRIVACY ACT WAIVER

I am the borrower on the referenced loan and hereby waive any Privacy Act protections for records about me. Enclosed is a copy of my identification to verify my identity.

REQUEST FOR FEE WAIVER

I request a waiver of all fees for this request. Disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest because:

The information will contribute significantly to public understanding of Federal Reserve operations and monetary policy
I am seeking this information for personal use to understand how my promissory note was processed
I am not seeking this information for commercial purposes
I have limited financial resources and payment would cause financial hardship

EXPEDITED PROCESSING:
I request expedited processing as there is an urgent need for these records due to [pending foreclosure/legal proceedings/time-sensitive matter].

FORMAT OF RESPONSE:
Please provide records in electronic format (PDF) via email if possible. If not, please provide paper copies.

If my request is denied in whole or in part, please justify all withholdings by reference to specific FOIA exemptions. Please release all segregable portions of otherwise exempt material.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. I look forward to your response within the statutory time period of 20 business days.

Sincerely,

_________________________________
[YOUR PRINTED NAME]
Date: [DATE]

Attachments:

Copy of Driver's License or ID
Copy of loan documents showing borrower name (if available)

Strategy

Send to Multiple Agencies Simultaneously

Each agency holds different pieces of the puzzle. Send to all relevant agencies at the same time to:

Cast a wide net for information
Cross-reference what different agencies know
Identify inconsistencies in the record
Build comprehensive documentation

Post-Mailing Checklist

Sent to Federal Reserve
Sent to OCC (if national bank)
Sent to FDIC (if state-chartered bank)
Sent to SEC (if loan securitized)
Sent to CFPB
Sent to Treasury
Sent to HUD (if FHA loan or RESPA issues)
All letters sent certified mail with tracking
Calendar marked: 20 business days for each
Copies kept of all requests
ID copies included with each request

Legal Citations

5 U.S.C. § 552 — Freedom of Information Act
5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(A) — 20-day response requirement
5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(A)(iii) — Fee waiver provisions
5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(E) — Expedited processing

Related Templates

Privacy Act Request — All government records about you personally
Qualified Written Request — For mortgage servicers directly
Original Documents Request — Demand for wet-ink note