Many companies today strive to have top notch customer service. Still, businesses all too often do things that can anger or frustrate us. When this happens we may feel the need to file a formal complaint against the business in order to have our concerns addressed.
Note: A formal complaint is not necessarily intended to act as a bad review or as a warning to other potential customers; it is a way for you to get a business to address a service issue that you have with them. A complaint may also alert appropriate agencies of a business’s questionable practices.
Before Filing a Complaint
Before you file a complaint against a business, it’s usually a good idea to try and resolve your issue directly. If you’ve bought a faulty product, attempt to return it. If they got an order wrong, see if they’re willing to correct the order or give you a refund. If you have an issue with their credit card or other money service policies, call customer support and ask for an explanation. The issue may be covered by the fine print in a contract. You may be able to resolve the issue informally.
When doing this, it always pays to stay polite but firm. Being rude with the person at the company won’t help that person understand your viewpoint.
If you’ve attempted this, but the business still refuses to address the issue, then it may be time to file a formal complaint.
With Whom to File a Complaint
Many people are unaware of just how many choices there are of organizations that will accept business complaints. To help make the choice easier, we outlined three categories below. Although these lists are not exhaustive, we've included in the major consumer protection agencies.
The first category is for complaints against general businesses. In most cases, these should be considered first. In this category is:
- the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- the Maine State Attorney General’s Office
The second category consists of large federal agencies that have more focused areas of operation. These should be considered if the complaint is against a large multistate or multinational company, and if the company is regulated one of these agencies. This category includes:
- the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
- the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- the Federal Communication Commission (FCC)
The third category is Maine state government agencies that have focused areas of operation. These should be considered if the company works under a state license (nearly all do), and if the company is regulated by of one of these agencies. In some cases, these agencies can get quicker and more satisfying results than their federal counterparts. This category includes:
- the Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR)
- the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection
- the Maine Bureau of Insurance
- the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions
- the Maine Office of Securities
- the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC)
More Detials on Each Agency
First choice agencies:
| BBB – The BBB handles most types of complaints. It is a nonprofit organization with the goal of making businesses trustworthy. It handles everything, from rude service or poor service to cheating or other unfair practices. Almost all small businesses and franchises work with BBB, so it is a good place to file complaints against them. Many large consumer businesses (retail stores, dealerships, etc.) also work with BBB. The BBB will also track, report, and work with the government to address scams. So they are also a good place to go if you believe you’ve been the target of a scam. |
| Maine Attorney General – The State Attorney General’s Office is the public agency that advises the government and handles the state’s legal actions. The Maine Attorney General takes complaints and refers most of them to their Consumer Mediation Service (CMS). The CMS will try to get the business to address your complaint and in some cases will assign a volunteer mediator to help you resolve your dispute. The Attorney General’s office will bring legal action in some cases where a business has repeatedly violated a state law, such as illegally discriminating against a class of customers or violating the state’s vehicle lemon law. |
| FTC – The FTC is an independent government agency which, among other things, works for consumer protection. The FTC handles complaints where the business may be legally liable for their actions, as well as complaints where the businesses practice shady, but not technically illegal, actions. This includes failing to honor a contract, unfair practices (cheating you out of money), false advertising, poor security practices that put your personal information at risk, and more. The FTC won’t address individual complaints but will collect them and take legal action against a business if a pattern emerges. All companies are under the jurisdiction of the FTC. At the same time, be aware that, in order ot have the most impact, the FTC is most interested the worst practices of larger businesses. |
More specialized federal agencies:
| CFPB – The CPFB is a recent addition to the list of consumer protection agencies. It takes complaints concerning financial transactions: banks, credit cards, credit reporting, money transfer companies, mortgages, student loans and vehicle or consumer loans. The CPFB works as a mediator between you and the business you have a complaint against. If you file a complaint, the CFPB will try to get a response from the business. As a federal agency, the CFPB has strong enforcement powers. Like the FTC, this agency also accumulates complaints in an attempt to track the worst practices that hurt the most people. |
| FDA – The FDA regulates food and drugs made and sold in the U.S. It will handle complaints about products that it regulates, such as food poisoning, allergic reactions to products that were not labeled as containing the allergen, and problems with dietary supplements and pet food. |
| FCC – The FCC regulates the nation’s communications networks. It will address issues where broadcasters violate the rules on what can be shown or said on television or radio, issues with telephones (cell and land line) including poor service and telemarketing scams, and poor service by broadband internet providers. |
More specialized Maine state agencies:
| OPOR – The OPOR maintains the licenses of Maine’s trade businesses, such as electricians, accountants, plumbers, cosmotologists (hair salons), veterinarians and much more. As part of their work, the OPOR actively investigates complaints against these businesses. Since the OPOR has the power to revoke or otherwise restrict a business’s license, it has a good deal of power over these businesses. |
| Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection - The Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection is a state agency that regulates the credit market within the state. This includes non-bank mortgage lenders, debt collectors, loan brokers, retail creditors, money transmitters, credit reporting agencies and non-bank ATMs. It has a very effective consumer complaint division and will work to try to resolve your dispute. |
| Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions – The Bureau of Financial Institutions oversees all state-chartered financial institutions such as banks, credit unions, and non-depository trust companies. Part of its mission is to review complaints against these institutions. It can be a good alternative to the CFPB if the institution you would like to file a complaint against is locally operated. |
| MPUC – The MPUC regulates the utilities in the state of Maine, such as public water supplies, natural gas, and phone and power providers. It will investigate complaints concerning utilities, in order to ensure they are kept up to the highest standards, and therefore ensure the public’s wellbeing. |
| Maine Bureau of Insurance – The Bureau of Insurance regulates the insurance industry in the state of Maine. It will investigate complaints, including talking with the insurance agency. It has little power over simple customer service issues but is extremely strict in enforcing the state’s insurance laws. |
| Maine Office of Securities – The Office of Securities oversees brokers and advisers of securities (finical investments, such as stocks and bonds) in the state of Maine. It doesn’t have much involvement with resolving simple customer service complaints but strictly enforces state laws concerning securities. |
How to File a Complaint
Most of these agencies allow complaints to be filed online at their websites. Some complaints can be filed only by mail or over the phone (see below). Most of the complaint forms are straight forward and easy to use. Just fill in the information they ask for and submit. Some also allow you to revisit the site and view the progress of the complaint.
When filing a complaint by mail, remember to include your full name, the name and location of the business you are filing against, and a detailed description of what happened, including identifying specific employees, if that applies. If you are filing by phone, email, or online, have all of that information ready.
Where to Go
First choice agencies:
Better Business Bureau
BBB Online Complaint Form
Federal Trade Commission
FTC Online Complaint Form
Maine State Attorney General’s Office
Mail the Attorney General at:
Attorney General's Consumer
Information and Mediation Service
6 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333
Call the CMS at: 207-626-8849
Toll-free at: 1-800-436-2131
(open 9 am - 12 noon and 1 pm - 4 pm, Monday – Friday)
E-mail CMS at: consumer.mediation@maine.gov
For Lemon Law complaints, email: lemon.law@maine.gov
More federal agencies:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
CFPB Online Complaint Form
Food and Drug Administration
The FDA has its complaints handled by the Consumer Complaint Coordinators (CCC):
Maine Phone: 800-891-8295
Full List of All Numbers for the CCC by State
Federal Communication Commission
FCC Online Complaint Form
Maine state agencies:
Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation
OPOR Online Complaint Form
Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection
Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection Online Complaint Form
Print a Complaint Form, and mail the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection at:
Department of Professional & Financial Regulation
Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection
35 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333
Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions
Print a Complaint Form, and mail the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions at:
Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions
Consumer Outreach Program
36 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-003
Call the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions at: 207-624-8570
Toll free at: 800-965-5235
E-mail the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions at: BFI.info@maine.gov
Maine Public Utilities Commission
MPUC Online Complaint Form
Mail MPUC at:
Maine Public Utilities Commission
Consumer Assistance Division
18 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0018
Call MPUC at: 1-800-452-4699
(open 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday)
Maine Bureau of Insurance
Maine Bureau of Insurance Online Complaint Form for: Health, Life, Annuity, Long Term Care, Disability, and Medicare Supplement Insurance
Maine Bureau of Insurnace Online Complaint Form for: Property & Casualty Insurance
Print Complaint Form for: Health, etc. Insurance or Print Complaint Form for: Property & Casualty Insurance, and mail the Maine Bureau of Insurance at:
Bureau of Insurance
34 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Maine Office of Securities
Maine Office of Securities Online Complaint Form
May 2013
PTLA #081