The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has changed how consumers can file credit reporting complaints, now requiring them to first dispute errors directly with a credit reporting agency and wait up to 45 days before turning to the Bureau. The move comes as credit reporting complaints have surged to represent more than 88% of all CFPB portal submissions in 2025, with total complaints across all categories growing nearly tenfold over the past five years. While the policy echoes long-standing industry requests to curb duplicative and premature filings, consumer advocates warn the changes may discourage legitimate complaints and make it harder for vulnerable consumers to seek help.
Under the updated CFPB website language — published on three different landing pages (here, hewre, and here), consumers must:
- First dispute inaccurate or incomplete information with a credit reporting agency.
- Attest that the information submitted to the CFPB is truthful.
- Confirm that either 45 days have passed since the dispute was filed or that the dispute is no longer pending.
The Bureau says it will discontinue processing complaints if a credit reporting agency indicates the consumer did not first attempt to resolve the issue directly. The CFPB also cautions that submitting complaints too early “impedes the system from serving other consumers.”
Industry and Trade Group Reaction
Trade groups representing banks and credit unions welcomed the changes, arguing that the complaint portal has been flooded by duplicative complaints and submissions generated by third-party credit repair firms. Industry leaders say the volume of low-quality complaints has required significant staff time to investigate issues that were already being addressed through existing dispute processes.
The Consumer Data Industry Association, which represents the major credit bureaus, previously urged the CFPB to place prominent notices on its portal directing consumers to contact furnishers and bureaus first, according to a published report. Some of those recommendations now appear reflected in the updated process.
Consumer Advocate Concerns
Consumer advocacy groups counter that while the portal may need guardrails, the CFPB risks creating friction for consumers with legitimate disputes. Advocates have raised concerns that additional hurdles could disproportionately affect low- and middle-income consumers who rely on public internet access or third-party assistance to navigate disputes.
