Filing a Complaint with the FTC, CFPB, or State Attorney General: When and How to Do It
Key Takeaways
Why Filing a Complaint Actually Matters
When a purchase goes wrong and a seller refuses to make it right, many consumers feel stuck. Contacting a government agency might seem like a long shot — and it is true that no single complaint automatically triggers a lawsuit. But that framing undersells how the system works.
Federal and state agencies build enforcement cases from patterns. The FTC's action against a company often begins with hundreds or thousands of individual complaints pointing to the same deceptive practice. Your complaint contributes to that record, even when your individual situation is not directly resolved. For a broader grounding in what protections you have before things escalate, see your consumer rights at a glance.
The CFPB operates differently — it actually forwards financial complaints to the named company and requires a documented response, which gives individual filers more direct leverage. State attorneys general occupy a middle ground: they can mediate disputes, issue demand letters, and pursue enforcement under state consumer protection law.
Understanding which tool fits your situation — and using it correctly — is what this guide covers.
Try the Seller First — Then Escalate
Before filing with any agency, make at least one documented attempt to resolve the issue directly with the seller. A written email or letter creates a paper trail and is something agencies expect to see. Many complaints are strengthened by showing you gave the business a fair opportunity to fix the problem.
What to Prepare Before You File
A well-documented complaint is far more useful than a vague one. Agencies cannot act on "they ripped me off" — they need specifics: dates, dollar amounts, the seller's identity, and a clear account of what was promised versus what was delivered.
What you will need
If you have not yet attempted to resolve the issue directly with the seller, do that first. See Consumer Rights 101: Returns, Refunds, and Disputes for practical guidance on that step. Document the outcome of that attempt — even a "no" from a seller is useful evidence.
Complaints Are Records, Not Guarantees
Filing with a federal or state agency does not automatically result in a refund or legal action against a seller. These agencies use complaints to identify patterns and prioritize enforcement — your individual case may not be investigated separately. If you need direct financial recovery, consider a chargeback, small claims court, or a private attorney alongside filing your complaint.
Choosing the Right Agency and Filing Your Complaint
The three main paths for consumer complaints — the FTC, the CFPB, and your state attorney general — are not interchangeable. Each has jurisdiction over different types of problems, and filing with the wrong one means your complaint may sit unread or be quietly closed.
FTC ReportFraud.ftc.gov
The official portal for filing complaints about fraud, scams, identity theft, and deceptive business practices with the Federal Trade Commission.
CFPB Consumer Complaint Portal (consumerfinance.gov)
Used to submit complaints about financial products and services including credit cards, loans, debt collection, and credit reporting.
NAAG State Attorney General Finder (naag.org)
Helps you locate your state's attorney general office and its consumer complaint submission page.
Document scanner or camera app
Used to digitize paper receipts and correspondence so they can be uploaded as attachments with your complaint.
Identify which agency matches your complaint type
Routing your complaint to the right agency is the most important step. Here is a plain breakdown:
- FTC (Federal Trade Commission): Handles fraud, scams, deceptive advertising, identity theft, and Do Not Call violations. It does not resolve individual disputes but uses reports to build enforcement cases.
- CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau): Handles complaints about financial products — credit cards, mortgages, student loans, debt collectors, payday lenders, and credit bureaus. The CFPB forwards complaints directly to the company and tracks their response.
- State Attorney General: Handles local business disputes, price gouging, unlicensed contractors, data breaches affecting state residents, and violations of state consumer protection laws. Often the fastest route when you want someone to contact the business on your behalf.
Some situations overlap. A predatory lending complaint, for example, could go to both the CFPB and your state AG.
Gather and organize your documentation
Before opening any complaint portal, pull together everything relevant to your situation. Agencies take complaints more seriously when they are specific and supported by evidence.
- Order confirmation or receipt showing the transaction date and amount
- Written communications with the seller — email chains, chat logs, or a summary of phone calls with dates and representative names
- Photos of defective or misrepresented products
- Any contracts, warranties, or terms of service that were violated
Scan or photograph paper documents so you can upload them. Most portals accept PDFs and common image formats.
File with the FTC (for fraud and deceptive practices)
Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and select the category that best describes your situation. The form walks you through a series of prompts asking for the company's information, what happened, how much money was involved, and how you paid. Be concise but specific — vague reports are harder to act on.
After submitting, you will receive a confirmation and your report enters the FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network, a database accessible to law enforcement agencies across the country. The FTC does not contact you about individual reports as a rule, but enough similar reports can prompt an investigation or enforcement action.
File with the CFPB (for financial product complaints)
Visit consumerfinance.gov/complaint and select your financial product type. You will be asked to name the company, describe the issue, and upload supporting documents. The CFPB forwards your complaint to the company, which is required to respond within 15 days and provide a final response within 60 days.
You can log back in to your account to track the company's response and indicate whether it resolved your issue. CFPB complaint data is published publicly (with personal information removed), which gives these filings meaningful leverage with financial institutions.
File with your State Attorney General
Find your state's consumer protection complaint portal through naag.org or by searching your state name plus "attorney general consumer complaint." Every state has one, though the interface and process vary.
State AG offices can contact businesses directly, mediate disputes, and in some cases pursue legal action under state consumer protection statutes. For disputes with local service providers, contractors, or businesses operating primarily within your state, this is often the most direct and effective option.
Some states also participate in multistate complaint-sharing, so filing with your AG may contribute to a broader investigation even if your individual case is not pursued.
Follow up and document your submission
Save your complaint confirmation number, take a screenshot of the submission confirmation page, and note the date filed. If the agency sends a reference number or case ID, store it with your other documentation.
For CFPB complaints, log in periodically to review the company's response. For state AG complaints, you may receive a follow-up letter or email — respond promptly if asked for additional information.
Filing a government complaint is one step in a broader strategy. If you need financial recovery, also consider a credit card chargeback if you paid by card, or review your options for escalating the dispute further.
If the seller's conduct may also violate specific federal rules — for example, delayed online shipments covered by the FTC's Mail Order Rule — you may want to review what that rule actually requires before writing your complaint narrative. Precise legal framing strengthens your submission.
Avoid Third-Party 'Complaint Filing' Services
Some websites charge fees to file complaints on your behalf, claiming to speed up the process. All federal and state complaint portals are free and take only minutes to use directly. There is no advantage to paying an intermediary, and doing so may expose your personal information unnecessarily.
This article provides general consumer information and is not legal advice. If your situation involves significant financial harm or potential legal liability, consult a licensed attorney in your state.