Quick Answer: The CFPB, now led by Trump appointee Russell Vought, has started a process that could make it harder for consumers to file complaints against credit reporting companies. The move appears to respond to industry requests to require additional personal information, limit complaints per phone number, and restrict IP addresses — changes that consumer advocates warn would suppress legitimate complaints rather than fix the underlying credit reporting problems.
If you’ve ever tried to fix an error on your credit report, you know how frustrating the process already is. Now the federal agency that’s supposed to help you may be about to make it even harder.
On January 30, 2026, the CFPB published a Federal Register notice requesting comments on its Consumer Response Intake Form — the system consumers use to file complaints. According to the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), this opens the door to changes that would create new barriers for people filing complaints against credit bureaus — and potentially against debt collectors, banks, and mortgage servicers too.
What Changes Are Being Considered?
The CFPB appears to be responding to a request from the Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA), the trade group representing Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. According to NCLC, a January 27 industry letter to the CFPB asks the Bureau to:
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- Require sensitive personal information — date of birth and other demographic data just to file a complaint
- Require two-factor authentication and cap complaints per phone number — effectively limiting how many complaints a consumer can file
- Restrict IP addresses from submitting complaints for multiple consumers — which would block people filing from libraries, domestic violence shelters, legal aid offices, and other shared locations
Think About Who This Hurts: People filing complaints from a library computer because they can’t afford internet at home. Domestic violence survivors using a shelter’s shared WiFi. Low-income consumers who share a phone with family members. These are exactly the people who need the complaint system most.
The Numbers Tell the Real Story
Why would the credit bureau industry want to suppress complaints? Look at the numbers.
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According to the CFPB’s December 2025 report, from January 2024 through June 2025 the Bureau received more than 5.6 million complaints — and nearly 4.8 million of those were about credit and consumer reporting. About 3.9 million targeted the Big Three credit bureaus specifically.
Credit reporting complaints have increased 182% compared to the monthly average for the prior two years. And the most common issue — incorrect information on your report — saw a 247% increase.
Those aren’t frivolous complaints. Those are millions of real people dealing with real errors that cost them real money.
What Credit Report Errors Actually Cost You
Incorrect information on a credit report isn’t just an inconvenience. According to the CFPB’s own reporting, credit report errors can:
- Cost families thousands of dollars in higher interest rates
- Deny access to loans entirely
- Prevent homeownership, car purchases, or small business formation
- Cost you a job opportunity (many employers check credit)
- Deny insurance coverage or apartment rentals
More than 200 million Americans have credit files. If you’re one of them, the accuracy of your report directly affects your financial life.
The Credit Bureaus’ Track Record on Complaints
Here’s what makes this particularly troubling. The Big Three already have a poor track record of actually responding to complaints.
According to a CFPB report, in 2019, nearly 25% of covered complaints resulted in some form of relief for consumers. By 2021, that number had dropped to less than 2%.
2019: Complaints That Got Relief
- Nearly 25% of covered complaints received relief
2021: Complaints That Got Relief
- Less than 2% of covered complaints received relief
The bureaus also stopped providing substantive responses to complaints they suspected were filed by third parties — even though more than 50% of required complaints received no formal review, according to the same CFPB report. The solution the industry is proposing isn’t to improve their response rate. It’s to reduce the number of complaints they have to deal with.
The Industry Claim: “Too many complaints are fraudulent or submitted by credit repair companies, so we need stricter verification.”
The Reality: Complaint volumes are exploding because credit reporting errors are exploding. Suppressing complaints doesn’t fix the underlying data quality problem — it just hides it.
Debt Collection Complaints Are Exploding Too
It’s not just credit reporting. According to NCLC Senior Attorney April Kuehnhoff, debt collection is the second-most common source of complaints to the CFPB — and those complaints have increased more than four times from 2023 to 2025.
It’s unclear whether the proposed changes would also affect complaints against debt collectors, banks, and mortgage servicers. But the precedent is concerning.
The CFPB’s Lawsuit Against Experian
The timing here is notable. In January 2025, the CFPB under its previous leadership sued Experian for conducting what it called “sham investigations” of credit report errors. The complaint alleged that Experian used deficient intake systems, uncritically accepted furnisher responses, and gave consumers confusing notifications about investigation outcomes.
Now, under new leadership, the same agency appears ready to make it harder for consumers to complain about those exact problems.
What This Means for You
If you’re dealing with debt, your credit report is one of the most important documents in your financial life. Errors on that report can cost you thousands, and the CFPB complaint system has been one of the few tools ordinary consumers have to push back against the Big Three bureaus.
Debt is math wrapped in emotion. But when someone else’s math error shows up on your credit report, you need a way to fix it.— Steve Rhode
Right now, the CFPB complaint process is still open and functioning. If you have credit report errors, file a complaint now while you still can without additional barriers.
Check Your Credit Reports: You’re entitled to free weekly credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Check them regularly, and if you find errors, dispute them both directly with the bureau and through the CFPB complaint portal.
How to Make Your Voice Heard
The CFPB’s comment period on the Consumer Response Intake Form is open until March 2, 2026. If you believe consumers should be able to file credit reporting complaints without additional barriers, you can submit a comment:
- Visit reginfo.gov and search for the CFPB information collection
- Email your comments to CFPB_PRA@cfpb.gov with “Docket No. CFPB-2026-0005” in the subject line
- Comments must be received by March 2, 2026
If you’re struggling with debt and need to figure out your options — whether credit report issues are part of the problem or not — take the Find Your Path quiz. It’s free and will help you understand which approach makes the most sense for your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still file a CFPB complaint about my credit report?
Yes. As of now, the CFPB complaint portal is still operational and accepting complaints. No changes have been finalized yet — the CFPB has only opened a comment period. File any pending complaints now.
What happens if the CFPB adds these restrictions?
If the proposed changes are adopted, you may need to provide additional personal information like your date of birth, verify your identity through two-factor authentication, and potentially face limits on how many complaints you can file. Consumers at shared locations like libraries could face additional hurdles.
Why are credit reporting complaints so high?
According to the CFPB’s December 2025 report, the most common complaint is incorrect information on credit reports — and that issue has increased 247% compared to the prior two-year monthly average. Credit report errors remain widespread and difficult for consumers to resolve.
Does this affect debt collection complaints too?
It’s unclear. According to NCLC, the potential changes could also affect complaints against debt collectors, banks, and mortgage servicers — but the current industry push appears focused primarily on credit reporting.
How can I protect myself if the complaint system changes?
Check your credit reports regularly at AnnualCreditReport.com, dispute errors directly with credit bureaus in writing (keep copies), file CFPB complaints while the current system is accessible, and consider consulting a consumer law attorney if errors are causing financial harm.
TL;DR: The CFPB is considering changes to its complaint system that could make it harder for consumers to report credit reporting errors — responding to industry requests rather than consumer needs. Nearly 5 million credit reporting complaints were filed last year because credit bureau errors are a massive, systemic problem. If you have credit report errors, file a complaint now and take the quiz to explore your options.
(Source: National Consumer Law Center) (Source: Federal Register, Docket No. CFPB-2026-0005)
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