How and Where to File a Complaint Against Your Credit Card Company

Credit card companies are not easy to deal with. I know because I have been on and off the phone with my credit card company for the past six months trying to resolve a single issue. I have asked various professionals where I should go next and have received the following advice. All of the following venues for complaining are free and effective.

When you file your complaint, you will want to write up a single statement documenting your complaint to send to each agency. Be as detailed as possible including: transaction dates, types, and amounts, correspondence with your credit card company, and dates of phone calls along with the nature of you calls. You can access your transaction history with your credit card company online or request on by phone. You can also request a call log from your phone company.

File a Complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)

The goal of the BBB is to help resolve issues between consumers and businesses in a timely and fair fashion. The BBB will file complaints on your behalf in billing matters and attempts to resolve them in a timely fashion. In order to file a complaint start with the BBB Online Complaint Form or contact your local BBB office.

Report the Company to Your State's Attorney General's Office

You can find links to your state's AG website at naag.org . Your state may have an online complaint form that you can fill out or you may have to contact the office directly to file a complaint.

File a Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

While the FTC does not resolve your complaint on your behalf, they do file your complaint in the Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database which is used by civil and criminal law enforcement authorities worldwide. This allows the FTC to detect patterns of wrong-doing, and lead to investigations and prosecutions. In order to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, you can either fill out the FTC Online Complaint Form or call them directly at 877-382-4357 to speak to a representative and file a complaint over the phone.

File a Complaint with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

You can file a complaint with the FDIC using this online complaint form. The FDIC does investigate abuses and assists in consumer protection.

File a Complaint with the Office of the Comptroller of Currency

The Comptroller of Currency's main objective is to ensure that the American Banking System is safe for all who use it. Since Credit Cards are owned by banks, you can file a complaint with the Comptroller of Currency using this form . Their phone number is 800-613-6743.

Other Agencies to Contact

You can send a copy of your complaint to your state and national elected officials. Let them know that you will not be voting for any representative who upholds the will of the banking industry over the rights of consumers like yourself.

You can also contact local and national news agencies. Local news agencies occasionally have specialists who offer to resolve you issue for you as an educational segment or article to help inform other consumers in their audience.