Credit Card Q&A: How to File a Credit Card Complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Credit Card Question: How do I file a credit card complaint with the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau?

Answer: I've gotten this question a lot since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) opened for business on July 21. Your first step is to contact your credit card issuer to see if you can resolve the issue on your own. If you've done this and you're not satisfied with the results, it's time to contact the CFPB and ask for assistance.

You can fill out a credit card complaint form on the CFPB website where you'll be required to describe what happened. You'll also be asked to choose a category that best fits your situation. For instance, choices include cash advance fees, arbitration, late fees, rewards, billing disputes and more.

The CFPB needs a clear picture of what's going on, so you'll be asked if you think the issue involves discrimination, how much money you've lost due to this problem, what date it occurred on, and what steps you've already taken to remedy the situation.

At this point, you're almost done! To help you, the CFPB will also need some personal information as well as your credit card account number. Your case will get a tracking number and you can then log in to the CFPB website using your email address and a password to check on the status of your complaint.

This is a secure site, but if you aren't comfortable filling out this form online, you can call the CFPB's Credit Card Complaint Line toll-free at 1-855-411-CFPB (2372).

If any of you do file complaints with the CFPB, I'd love to hear about your experiences.

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