Where to escalate
Go up one step at a time and log each one in your case file. Many problems end at step 1 or 2. Each step below links to its official page.
Desk $1.95 a month or $19.50 a yearFree during previewwhat it buys
The company's own process
Go back to the store, website or service provider first, through its customer service, returns or warranty process. The FTC gives the same advice (FTC consumer alert). Ask for a reference number on every call and write down the name of the person you spoke to.
A letter with a reply-by date
Put the problem, what you want and a reply-by date in writing, polite and short, with copies (not originals) of your receipts. The FTC suggests certified mail with a return receipt (FTC sample complaint letter). The Letter Builder writes it for you.
Your card company, if you paid by card
For a billing error on a credit card, write to the card company's address for billing inquiries (not the payment address) so that your letter reaches it within 60 days after the first statement with the error was sent to you. The card company must acknowledge your letter in writing within 30 days and resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, and no more than 90 days. A billing error means a wrong date or amount, a charge for something not delivered or not accepted, or a math error. (FTC: using credit cards and disputing charges; 15 U.S.C. 1666; FTC sample card dispute letter.)
A product that does not work or a service that was not done right is a quality dispute, not a billing error. The law lets you raise it with the card company if you tried in good faith to resolve it with the seller first, the purchase was more than $50, and you bought it in your home state or within 100 miles of your billing address (the dollar and distance limits do not apply in a few cases, such as when the seller is also the card issuer). The Letter Builder writes either kind of card letter. (FTC; 15 U.S.C. 1666i.)
Debit card protections are weaker, so act fast and ask your bank.
The agency that fits
- Banks, credit cards, loans, credit reports, debt collectors, money transfers: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint form.
- Phone, TV, internet and wireless service: the FCC Consumer Complaint Center.
- Airlines: the U.S. Department of Transportation air travel complaint form.
- Anything else, and any business you think was dishonest: your state attorney general or consumer protection office (find your attorney general; FTC consumer alert).
- Fraud or a scam: report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The Desk's escalation summary turns your case log into a dated timeline you can paste into these forms.
Small claims court
Rules, limits and fees differ by state and county. Your state court system's website explains how to file. ServiceDepartment.org does not give legal advice; for that, talk to a lawyer or your local legal aid office.