How to File a BBB Complaint That Actually Gets Answered

Pick the complaint, not the review

BBB gives consumers four doors: a complaint, a customer review, a scam report, and a report about a questionable ad. Pick one. BBB explains the difference at How do I file a complaint, post a customer review, report a scam, or a bad ad?

File a complaint when you had a marketplace relationship and you want BBB's help to resolve a dispute, usually (not always) a money claim. Leave a review when you want to share an opinion and you do not need a resolution. BBB explainer: Complaint, review, or scam. FAQ: FAQ about reviews says you cannot file both on the same issue.

A review does not affect the letter grade. A complaint can. How BBB treats reviews: BBB customer reviews. If you only want to leave a BBB review, read our how to leave a review on Better Business Bureau guide. This page is the complaint. Imposter or fake offer? Report it at BBB Scam Tracker.

What BBB accepts, and what it rejects

Read the complaint acceptance guidelines before you type. A filing that meets the criteria must be accepted. No dollar minimum. BBB encourages contacting the business first but will not reject you for skipping that.

Guidelines required on 24 August 2026: log in or create a Consumer Portal account; full name, email, postal code; name the business and enough info to contact it; ask BBB for assistance; you (or authorized representative) had a marketplace relationship; typically last 12 months (warranty can override); products or services provided or agreed; not in litigation and not already closed by court/arbitrator/settlement; no abusive language or serious threats; United States or Canada; one complaint against the same business in a 24-month window.

They will not take these: employer/employee disputes; government agencies unless they sold a commercial service; a private person not in business; filings that only ask for a crime finding, arrest, firing, or prosecution; filings that challenge a law; compensation for bodily injury or emotional distress (they will still let you ask for a refund on the customer-service piece); discrimination claims filed as the whole case; companies that are out of business; acting as a collection agency; price dissatisfaction alone or buyer's remorse; anonymous filings.

If the door is employment, discrimination, or already in court, stop. Talk to a lawyer, or use our attorney general complaint template as copy-paste wording. That is not a filing we send.

What to write, and what to attach

Have facts before you open the form: date paid, amount, invoice/order number, what was promised and by when, date you asked them to fix it, whether anyone answered.

BBB forwards everything you submit to the business. Attach invoice, contract or quote, and the unanswered request. Do not put SSN, full card number, or a personal phone in the public text. Submission terms: complaint submission terms. Exact copy goes to the business; after close, text may be posted up to three years. You cannot delete a complaint once submitted. You can add or correct from the same account.

State the resolution in one sentence.

Copy-paste scaffolding: BBB complaint template. That page title keeps the word Template. It is a form you copy into your own filing. It is not a letter we send.

Constructed example, not a customer story. Cedar & Pine Cabinetry. $3,480 deposit paid 11 April on invoice CP-1187 for cabinets promised 2 May. No delivery. Customer asked for the deposit back on 6 May. No reply as of 24 May. This is a BBB complaint filing, not a star review.

Gets rejected: "Cedar & Pine Cabinetry is a scam. They stole my deposit. Have them arrested."

Gets accepted: "I paid Cedar & Pine Cabinetry a $3,480 deposit on 11 April, invoice CP-1187, for cabinets they promised to deliver on 2 May. Nothing arrived. I asked for the deposit back on 6 May. I have had no reply as of 24 May. I want a refund of $3,480."

Same facts. One asks BBB to find a crime. Guidelines reject that. The other is a first-hand dated marketplace dispute and a refund request.

How to file it on bbb.org

You file. Go Postl does not create the account, log in, or file it.

1. Open bbb.org/file-a-complaint.
2. Choose the goal that asks for help resolving a problem with a business. The review path is the other door.
3. Read acceptance guidelines and complaint submission terms.
4. Log in or create the Consumer Portal account.
5. Search the business and pick the profile you mean. Chains and franchises have separate records. Use the name on that profile.
6. Write the dated account. Attach the invoice and the messages. State the refund, or the work you still want.
7. Submit from that account.

A manufacturer warranty or possible Lemon Law claim belongs on BBB AUTO LINE , not this form. Dealerships and independent shops stay here.

What happens after you file

How BBB handles complaints is the national timeline. Do not invent a better one.

• BBB works to forward what you submitted within two business days.
• Business asked to respond in 14 calendar days from the date you filed. If not, BBB sends a follow-up.
• You are notified of the response or silence and asked to respond.
• Files generally closed within about 30 calendar days.
• If still dissatisfied, BBB may ask for a second response. Mediation or arbitration may be offered; those vary by region.

Closed statuses: Resolved, Answered, Unresolved, Unanswered, Unpursuable — use the BBB definitions.

Process page: complaint reviews process. Free; primarily refund/repair/replacement; non-accredited cooperation is voluntary; failure to respond can hurt a rating; not a court order; BBB cannot act as a collection agency; does not force a refund.

Once closed, text may appear on the profile for three years from the file date. BBB may edit personal information or abusive language. High-volume shops may get a published sample.

When a review or an appeal is the other door

Star rating and no Bureau help: BBB customer review and our BBB review guide.

Filtered, rejected, or taken down: My Review Was Removed. This page will not walk the appeal.

First-hand wording: How to Write a Negative Review That Stays Up.

Questions people ask

Does the BBB make the business pay?

No.

Is a BBB complaint public?

After close, may be posted three years; exact copy goes to the business when you file.

Can I file anonymously?

No. Name, email, postal code required. Reviews are not anonymous either.

Can I file a review and a complaint on the same issue?

No.

Can I delete it later?

No. You can edit or add. You cannot wipe the filing.

Already in court?

BBB will not take it.