10 Ways To File a Complaint Against Your Bank Now That the CFPB’s Future Is Uncertain
Written by
Stacy Sare Cohen
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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In February 2025, the Trump administration suspended operations at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal agency that protects consumers from fraud and unscrupulous banking practices in the financial services industry.
With the threat of the CFPB shutting down permanently, GOBankingRates tapped financial experts for other avenues consumers can pursue for filing complaints against their financial institutions.
Next, make sure you’re not making these banking mistakes.
Contact Your Bank’s Executive Office
Reaching out directly to the bank’s executive office gets fast results, said personal finance expert and founder of Fluent in Finance Andrew Lokenauth, who has worked at several banking institutions, including J.P. Morgan.
“The exec team has special reps who handle these escalated cases, and I’ve seen them resolve issues within 48 hours,” he explained. “When I managed our executive response team, we treated these complaints like fire alarms.”
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
You can file a complaint against a bank on the Better Business Bureau website by searching for your banking institution profile.
“Even though some folks think the BBB is outdated, I can tell you banks still care about these complaints, Lokenauth said. “In my previous role at Signature Bank, we had a dedicated team monitoring BBB ratings, and anything below an A- would trigger emergency meetings with senior management.”
Your State Attorney General’s Office
If filing directly with the CFPB becomes ineffective or impossible, the State Attorney General’s office can step in, said John Beck, attorney and founding partner at Beck & Beck Missouri Lawyers.
“Most people don’t know that attorney generals’ offices have consumer protection divisions with the power to launch investigations,” said Beck.
“I’ve walked clients through that route and seen banks respond faster than through federal channels; it’s not widely advertised, but it works, especially when patterns of abuse emerge,” he explained.
Small Claims Court
Another option for filing a claim against your bank if your case against your bank is less than $5,000 is small claims court.
“You’d be shocked at how often financial institutions fold quickly when hit with a well-drafted claim in a local court,” Beck said. “It’s cheap, fast and puts real legal pressure on the table.”
The FDIC and the OCC
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) are two other alternatives for filing bank complaints.
The FDIC is an independent agency created by Congress to safeguard the integrity and reliability of the nation’s financial system.
The OCC is an independent bureau within the U.S. Department of the Treasury that supervises, charters and regulates all national banks, federal savings associations and federal branches and agencies of foreign banks.
“These are compliance-heavy bodies, and they don’t take kindly to banks ignoring consumer grievances, said Beck. “I’ve personally seen complaints to these agencies unlock doors for clients who’d been ghosted for months.”
The National Credit Union Administration
The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) insures members’ deposits at federally insured credit unions up to $250,000, much like the FDIC does for banks.
If you have a complaint against your credit union, the NCUA can help you resolve it.
Other Alternatives for Filing a Complaint Against Your Bank
Other organizations that can help consumers with issues against their bank include the following.
Tips for Filing a Complaint Against Your Bank
When submitting a complaint against your bank, ensure all the contact information and supporting documents are in order, including the bank’s name and address, any emails and written correspondence between you and your financial institution, dates, screenshots and other evidence.
Editor’s note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on GOBankingRates.com.
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