10 Ways To File a Complaint Against Your Bank Now That the CFPB’s Future Is Uncertain

Stacy Sare Cohen

Sat, Apr 12, 2025, 1:01 PM 3 min read

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.

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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.

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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.”

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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“Even though some folks think the BBB is outdated, I can tell you banks still care about these complaints, Lokenauth said.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.”

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.

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.”