To file a consumer complaint, identify the specific problem and the outcome you want, collect the relevant records, and contact the company through a verified channel. If that does not resolve it, choose the agency or organization that handles your issue and follow its filing instructions.
Choose the route that fits your problem
| Your issue | Start with | Continue here |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase, refund or service problem | The seller or service provider, then relevant consumer resources | Shopping and refund complaints |
| Phone, internet or cable billing | Your provider, then the FCC’s relevant informal complaint route | Phone and internet complaints |
| Banking, credit or debt | The institution and the appropriate financial complaint channel | CFPB complaint information |
| Housing or landlord problem | The resource for your type of housing issue and location | USA.gov housing resources |
| Airline, hotel or travel issue | The travel business and relevant transport or consumer office | USA.gov travel resources |
| Suspected scam or money sent to a scammer | Prompt payment-provider contact and fraud-reporting resources | FTC steps after a scam |
A referral does not mean an agency can recover your money or take on your individual dispute. Read the receiving organization’s description of its role before submitting.
Official guidance: USA.gov: complaints about a company’s products or services.
Prepare a short, evidence-based account
Write a one-sentence description of the problem, a list of the important dates and the specific action you want. Keep the amount you dispute separate from the total value of the purchase or account.
- Identify the business, order or service and purchase date.
- Explain what was promised and what actually happened.
- Include the receipt, relevant terms and prior messages.
- List previous contacts and any reference numbers.
- Ask for a concrete action, such as an explanation, corrected bill, replacement or refund.
Use the consumer complaint evidence checklist to organize the documents. Keep your account factual; label estimates or missing information rather than presenting guesses as records.
Contact the company through a verified channel
Use the contact details on the company’s own website, your bill or your purchase records. Explain the problem and ask for a reference number. If the first representative cannot address it, ask which team handles the issue or whether a supervisor can review it.
A written message gives you a copy of exactly what you requested. The complaint letter template helps you put the facts, evidence and requested outcome together. Save the sent message and confirmation.
Official guidance: FTC: solving problems with a business.
File with the appropriate organization
- Choose a destination that covers your issue and location. Check whether it handles individual complaints, collects reports for enforcement, or offers another type of assistance.
- Use its official website. Read the form’s instructions, required information and privacy disclosures before attaching documents.
- Describe the issue consistently with the records you collected. Include the outcome requested and the company’s response, if any.
- Save your submission, confirmation number, attachments and any instructions for replying.
A complaint to a consumer office, a public review, a report of suspected fraud and a court filing are different actions. A public review does not substitute for an agency form or preserve a payment-dispute deadline. The FTC uses fraud reports for enforcement purposes; it does not resolve individual reports.
Official guidance: FTC: sample customer complaint letter.
Track the response and check the outcome
Keep a simple log with four columns: date, organization, reference number and next action. Follow the confirmation instructions instead of opening duplicate complaints just to ask for an update. If you receive a response, compare it against what you requested and your documents.
Check what changed, not just whether someone replied
A company says it has corrected a charge. Your next step is to check the revised bill for the amount and billing period involved, then save the written explanation. A case marked closed and a correction visible on your account are not necessarily the same thing.
If the answer does not address the evidence, state which point remains unresolved and follow the organization’s process for providing more information. No single response deadline applies to all consumer complaints.
Common questions
Can I submit my complaint through Consumer Complaint Help?
No. This site provides preparation tools and links. Submit directly to the relevant business, agency or organization.
Does a complaint guarantee a refund?
No. The available remedy depends on the facts, applicable rules and the receiving organization’s role.
Should I complain to every agency at once?
Choose relevant destinations rather than sending the same report everywhere. Separate routes may be appropriate for separate purposes, such as reporting fraud and contacting a payment provider about a transaction.
More ways to get help
More common consumer problems
These guides cover problems within frequently reported complaint categories. Topic selection draws on the Consumer Federation of America’s 2025 agency survey and the CFPB’s 2025 financial complaint report. The sources cover different reporting systems; this is a selection of useful topics, not a national ranking of individual problems.
Auto repair complaints
Compare an auto repair estimate with the invoice, document work you dispute, and prepare a complaint to the shop or your state consumer agency.
Problem guideUsed car dealer complaints
Use the Buyers Guide, sales contract, warranty, and repair records to prepare a used car dealer complaint and identify appropriate outside help.
Problem guideUnfinished contractor work
Document unfinished home improvement work, compare payments with contract milestones, and prepare a complaint to the contractor or relevant state office.
Problem guideSecurity deposit disputes
Compare deposit deductions with your lease, photos, and move-out records. Prepare a written request and find state-specific tenant complaint resources.
Problem guideCharges after cancellation
Use cancellation confirmations and billing dates to challenge subscription charges, contact the right seller, and prepare a payment-provider dispute.
Problem guideDenied warranty claims
Compare a warranty denial with the coverage terms, proof of purchase, and repair history. Prepare a specific request for reconsideration.
Problem guideCredit report errors
Identify a credit report error, organize supporting records, dispute it with the reporting company and furnisher, and follow up on the investigation.
Problem guideDebt collection disputes
Verify a debt collector, review the validation notice, gather payment or identity records, and prepare a written dispute about a debt you do not owe.
Problem guideUnauthorized debit charges
Report debit-card charges you did not authorize, document the transactions, follow bank dispute instructions, and review the investigation outcome.
Problem guideIdentity theft recovery
Report identity theft, contact affected companies, compare credit freezes with fraud alerts, and keep a recovery record for fraudulent accounts.
Keep going
Your next useful guide
Evidence checklist
Organize receipts, messages, dates and billing records before making a consumer complaint. Includes a checklist, evidence table and follow-up log.
Editable templateComplaint letter
Use an editable consumer complaint letter template, a fictional worked example and a sending checklist to explain your issue and requested resolution.
Topic guideShopping & refunds
Prepare complaints about shopping, refunds and services. Compare routes for missing orders, refused refunds, damaged goods and suspected online-shopping fraud.
Topic guidePhone & internet
Prepare a phone, internet or cable complaint, organize provider records, and understand the FCC informal complaint process and follow-up options.
Sources and page information
Official source links checked September 23, 2026. Requirements can change; use the relevant agency’s current instructions.
- USA.gov: complaints about a company’s products or services
- FTC: solving problems with a business
- FTC: sample customer complaint letter
- FTC: what to do if you were scammed
Prepared with AI assistance. Examples and worksheets are illustrative. This is general information, not legal advice. We do not submit complaints, determine eligibility, or guarantee a result.