Glossary / Consumer complaint

What is consumer complaint?

A consumer complaint is a formal filing with a regulator — a state attorney general, licensing board, or federal agency — that the business is asked to answer in writing.

Unlike a review, a complaint creates an official record and often triggers a mandated response window. Attorney general offices, the CFPB, the FCC, the DOT and state licensing boards all run complaint channels, and several publish the results.