- 1). Flesh out the claim you have against the company for your own understanding. Companies like facts and figures, not emotional retellings, so make sure you have all evidence to support your claim. Determine the severity of the claim. If the issue involves thousands of dollars, you'd be best to find a personal attorney to handle the claim.
- 2). One popular method (albeit slow and bureaucratic) is to contact the attorney general. Log on to the website below to find out the address and contact information for your state attorney general. Decide how to contact your representative. It's usually best to send a formal complaint letter that states your name, your claim, the company (or companies) involved, and the next action needed on its behalf. For example, you may want to request a contact in the company with whom you can work with on the complaint. Also, you'll need to ask for the contact information for the legal department. Follow up with the office in 2 to 3 weeks to determine the outcome or investigation.
- 3). Contact the company responsible for the infraction, as another option. You'll want to contact consumer affairs, but you'll need to navigate through the customer service queue to reach the correct department. Prepare all statements and figures before the call. The representatives handling the claim will often ask for copies of bank statements, account statements and other forms of evidence. If possible, fax all the pertinent information so the representative can immediately work on the claim. Get his contact information and follow-up on a weekly basis to ensure it gets resolved.
- 4). File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (see Resources). This organization protects and looks after consumer rights and privacy. It will also provide damning evidence (if any) against any company practicing unethical and unfair business practices against consumers. This route will probably not get you any money, but it will discredit the credit card institution.
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