The best way to file a bank complaint is to first contact your bank directly to resolve the issue, followed by filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) online if needed. For a faster response, identify your bank's regulator—such as the FDIC, Federal Reserve, or OCC—using the FDIC BankFind tool.
You may contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada supervises all federally regulated financial institutions, which includes banks, (financial institutions), for compliance with federal consumer protection laws.
10 Most Common Bank Customer Complaints
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is an independent bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The OCC charters, regulates, and supervises all national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches and agencies of foreign banks.
How to file a Complaint
Try contacting your bank directly first. If that does not help, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint page to: See which specific banking and credit services and products you can complain about through the CFPB. Understand the complaint process.
If you've gone through your bank or building society's complaints procedure and they haven't been able to help you, you can make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You can also contact the Financial Ombudsman Service's consumer helpline on 0800 023 4 567 or 0300 123 9 123.
The FDIC's Division of Depositor and Consumer Protection (DCP) is responsible for enforcing federal consumer protection laws and regulations at state-chartered banks that are not members of the Federal Reserve System.
With a few caveats, the general answer is yes, you may sue your bank for negligence. You may also sue a bank for incompetence, which is a form of negligence.
The board of directors, acting through senior management, is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the bank maintains a system of internal controls to assure ongoing compliance with BSA regulatory requirements.
While Bank of America often leads in total complaint volume to the CFPB, Wells Fargo frequently ranks high for its poor reputation and scandals (like fake accounts) alongside JPMorgan Chase, but some analyses show smaller banks like Capital One, Discover, or TCF National Bank (now part of Huntington) having higher complaint rates relative to deposits, indicating worse customer experience per dollar held.
That should happen when the bank considers the complaint to be closed or resolved. A bank has a maximum of 56 days to deal with your complaint. Note that this period includes the prescribed timelines. Your complaint may be with a federally regulated trust and loan or insurance company.
Grounds for Filing a Consumer Complaint
Three major categories of fraud, especially in business, are asset misappropriation, bribery and corruption, and financial statement fraud, but other common types for individuals include identity theft, credit card fraud, and investment scams, often involving first-party (consumer) or third-party (impersonation) tactics. Fraud types can also be categorized by the parties involved: first-party (you against a company), second-party (someone you know), and third-party (stranger impersonating someone else).
If the OCC does not regulate your bank, please file your complaint with one of the following agencies, as appropriate:
Original Creditors That Sue the Most
Capital One is known for filing lawsuits against consumers who default on their credit card debts. They do not hesitate to take legal action, even for relatively small balances. Once a judgment is obtained, they may garnish wages or freeze bank accounts depending on state law.
The four essential elements of a negligence claim are Duty, Breach, Causation, and Damages, meaning the defendant owed a legal duty of care to the plaintiff, breached that duty by failing to act reasonably, that breach directly caused the plaintiff's injury (both in fact and proximately), and the plaintiff suffered actual harm or loss (damages)**. A plaintiff must prove all four elements to succeed in a personal injury lawsuit based on negligence.
Banks may place a hold on the card and/or account to prevent further fraudulent activity and may issue a temporary credit during the investigation. Investigators collect details like transaction date, time, amount, and location, and also analyze other financial patterns and consumer behavior.
APRA oversees banks, credit unions, building societies, general insurance and reinsurance companies, life insurers, private health insurers, friendly societies, and a large part of the superannuation industry.
If not satisfied write to the Controlling Office. If you still feel aggrieved write to the Nodal Officer for complaints of the concerned bank. If the Nodal Officer cannot redress your complaints and you still feel aggrieved approach Banking Ombudsman for a satisfactory resolution of the matter.
Funds may be withheld temporarily if a court order or investigation is involved. Contact the bank right away after an account closure to settle your balance.
While Bank of America often leads in total complaint volume to the CFPB, Wells Fargo frequently ranks high for its poor reputation and scandals (like fake accounts) alongside JPMorgan Chase, but some analyses show smaller banks like Capital One, Discover, or TCF National Bank (now part of Huntington) having higher complaint rates relative to deposits, indicating worse customer experience per dollar held.