How to File a Complaint with the CFPB: A Comprehensive Guide
- The Credit Course
- Sep 14
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 14
The Complaint Process for The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Explained
When you've exhausted the standard dispute process for correcting inaccurate information on your credit report without success, it's time to consider your next steps. Before seeking legal action against the credit bureau or reporting entity, you may want to consider filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This step can be an effective way to compel financial institutions to comply with the law and address your concerns, including the accuracy of your credit report.
Filing a complaint is free and does not affect your credit score.
Contents
What is the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB)?
Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a federal government agency established to protect consumers in the financial sector by ensuring that banks, lenders, and other financial companies treat you fairly. It collects and documents complaints, as well as helping consumers get direct responses about problems with financial products and services. If credit bureaus, creditors, and collectors fail to comply with federal consumer financial laws, the CFPB has the authority to take action against them.
Why File a Complaint with the CFPB?
The CFPB gives consumers a direct way to escalate unresolved issues with financial companies, credit bureaus, and debt collectors. If you have already disputed inaccurate information with the credit reporting agencies or the original creditor and nothing has been corrected, filing a complaint with the CFPB is often the next step.
Here’s what happens when you file:
The CFPB forwards your complaint to the company in question.
Most companies are required to respond within 15 days (and provide a final response within 60 days).
While the CFPB will not fix your credit report directly, it can investigate broader patterns of misconduct and take enforcement action against companies that violate consumer protection laws.
💡 You can file more than one complaint if you have multiple issues.
When to File a CFPB Complaint
Filing a CFPB complaint makes sense if:
You’ve exhausted the dispute process with the credit bureaus and creditors, waiting at least 30 days for a resolution.
Inaccurate or outdated information continues to appear on your credit report, which violates your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Financial institutions or collection agencies repeatedly ignore your written disputes or fail to provide required documentation.
You’ve been subjected to unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices (UDAAPs) by a lender, collector, or financial company.
A credit repair organization fails to meet its contractual obligations or engages in fraud.
You are denied access to your free annual credit report, or a bureau attempts to charge excessive fees for it.
Beyond credit reporting, the CFPB also accepts complaints about:
Mortgages and loan servicing
Credit cards and bank accounts
Student loans and auto loans
Debt collection practices
Credit repair companies that are unresponsive or acting illegally
How to Submit a Complaint
Before you file a complaint, make sure you’ve gathered all relevant documentation, including account statements, copies of previously filed disputes, and communications, letters, or emails exchanged with the company in question.
The CFPB offers several methods to submit your complaint:
Online (Recommended)
Go to the CFPB's official complaint portal.
Create an account or log in to submit your complaint form.
This is the fastest option and allows you to upload documents and track progress in real time.
By Phone
Call CFPB's Official Complaint line: (855) 411-2372
TTY/TDD number for hearing or speech disabilities: (855) 729-2372.
Representatives are available in over 180 languages.
By Mail
Send your written complaint and supporting documents to:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau P.O. Box 27170 Washington, DC 20038
What to Include in Your Complaint
Include the full legal name of the company you’re complaining about and relevant information to the account. Use only partial or reference numbers, not full account or Social Security numbers. Eg: “Account ending in 1234.”
Give a detailed description, explain what happened, why it’s a problem, and when it occurred. Dates of the issue, prior disputes, and company responses (if any).
Clearly state what you believe would be a fair outcome (e.g., correction of a credit report error, refund of fees, etc.).
Upload or attach relevant documents that back up your claim, such as copies of letters, statements, emails, or dispute responses that back up your claim.
The CFPB Complaint Process
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) follows a structured process when handling consumer complaints:
Complaint Form Submission
You submit your complaint online, by phone, or by mail.
You’ll receive a confirmation email and can track your case status through your CFPB account.
Review and Routing
The CFPB reviews your complaint form and forwards it to the company in question.If your complaint falls under another regulator’s jurisdiction (for example, the FDIC, OCC, or FTC), the CFPB routes it to the appropriate agency.
Company Response
The company is generally required to respond within 15 calendar days and provide a final resolution within 60 days.
They may contact you directly during this stage if additional information is needed.
Complaint Publication
Consumer Review & Feedback
Once the company responds, you have up to 60 days to review their reply and provide feedback indicating whether the issue was resolved to your satisfaction.
After You Submit Your Complaint
Once you have submitted your complaint to the CFPB, the process of resolution truly begins. The company in question is required to respond to the CFPB and to the consumer—usually within 15 days—so you can expect to hear about any actions taken or proposed solutions relatively quickly after your complaint submission. Stay engaged by monitoring status changes and promptly responding to information requests.
By using the confirmation number you receive after filing, you can log into the CFPB's website and check the current status at any time.
Check your email regularly or make sure notifications are on for status change alerts.
In addition to online tracking, the CFPB offers a toll-free number that you can call to get updates or ask questions about your case.
Be ready to provide additional information or documents if requested. Prompt follow-up can speed up the process.
If The Issue Continues After Complaint
Here’s what the CFPB’s process and your options look like if the company fails to respond, misses a deadline, or you’re unhappy with their answer. Companies generally have 15 calendar days to provide an initial response after CFPB forwards them your complaint. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau+1If more time is needed to fully investigate, the company can issue a non-final response, followed by a final response within 60 calendar days.
The Company Fails to Respond
If the company doesn’t respond within 15 days, CFPB may mark the complaint as “untimely” in the public Consumer Complaint Database. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau+1
CFPB may follow up with the company to try to get a response. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau+1
If there is no response by the extended deadline (or the response is not satisfactory), you still have options for escalation.
Company Response is Not Satisfactory
You can review the company’s response via your CFPB complaint portal and provide feedback (such as saying the issue is not resolved). Consumer Financial Protection Bureau+1
CFPB tracks consumer feedback in its system, and such feedback also becomes part of the public record. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau+1
Escalation & Enforcement Options
If the company doesn’t respond, or you’re not satisfied:
Reach out to State Regulators: Many states have agencies (attorney general’s office, department of banking, or consumer protection) that handle credit disputes and unfair lending practices. Filing a complaint with state regulators can sometimes get issues resolved when the company isn’t responding to the CFPB.
Consumer Advocacy Organizations: Non-profits or legal aid groups may help you with formal dispute letters or guide you through further legal options.
CFPB’s Enforcement Powers: While CFPB doesn’t resolve every individual complaint, it uses complaint data to identify systemic issues. If many complaints point to the same problem with a company, CFPB can investigate and, where warranted, take enforcement action under consumer financial laws.
👉 Ready to take control? Join TheCreditCourse.com for access to full dispute guides, member-only templates, and advanced credit repair strategies.
CFPB Complaint FAQ:
Can I cancel a CFPB complaint after filing?
No. Once submitted, a complaint cannot be canceled or withdrawn. However, you can stop participating at any time and choose not to provide feedback on the company’s response.
Can I file a CFPB complaint in Spanish?
Yes. The CFPB accepts complaints in Spanish and provides assistance in over 180 languages through its toll-free phone line. The online portal is also available in Spanish.
What if my credit bureau disputes don’t work?
If you’ve disputed inaccurate information with Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, or Innovis and they did not correct the error, filing a CFPB complaint is the next escalation step. The bureau or creditor will be required to respond through the CFPB system.
How long does the CFPB complaint process take?
Most companies respond within 15 calendar days. If they need more time, they must provide a final response within 60 days.
How do I check the status of my complaint?
Log in to the CFPB complaint portal using your confirmation number.
You’ll also receive email updates as your case progresses.
For mail or phone complaints, you can call the CFPB for updates.
What is the CFPB complaint phone number?
Toll-free: (855) 411-2372
TTY/TDD (for hearing or speech disabilities): (855) 729-2372
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