7 in 10 complaints in a typical week were about a problem already in its sector’s top five
Fix once
69.5%
of 1,145,439 complaints across nine US consumer-finance sectors, pooled over 96 weeks
Across 96 weeks, 69.5% of complaints to the CFPB in nine US consumer-finance sectors were about a theme that had been in its sector’s top five in at least four of the previous eight weeks (95% interval 68.5% to 70.7%). The median week was 69%; single weeks ran from 59.5% to 78.9%.
From Q4 2024 to Q2 2026, companies closed 98.5% of complaints in these sectors. Nearly every complaint was closed, and the same themes kept arriving the following week.
7 in 10 complaints in a typical week were about a problem already in its sector’s top five
Share of complaints on a theme that sat in the sector’s top five in at least 4 of the previous 8 weeks, by sector. Median week 69%; single weeks 59.5% to 78.9%.
CFPB Consumer Complaint Database (CC0), complaints received 2 Sep 2024 to 30 Aug 2026. n = 1,145,439 complaints in 9 sectors; credit reporting excluded. Pooled share 69.5% (95% interval 68.5% to 70.7%). Read 25 Sep 2026.
What we counted
1,145,439 complaints in nine sectors, received 28 Oct 2024 to 30 Aug 2026, with the eight weeks before as the look-back. Credit reporting is left out. The share runs from 32% in auto loans and leases to 88% in money transfers and wallets.
Try this week
Take last week’s top five complaint themes, mark each one that was also top five in four of the previous eight weeks, and ask its owner what changed at the source.
Limits
Complaints to a regulator are a small, self-selected slice. There is no customer identifier, so this is a problem recurring across customers, not one person contacting twice. It shows a pattern, not a cause.
Source: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database (structured records, CC0), read 25 Sep 2026. Sample: 1,145,439 complaints in 9 sectors; credit reporting and debt management excluded. Period: received 28 Oct 2024 to 30 Aug 2026 (look-back from 2 Sep 2024). Aggregation: weekly, by sector and theme (product, issue, sub-issue); pooled share. Caveat: association, not cause; a self-selected slice; no customer identifier.
How we count: onclarity.com/labs/method
Public data, analysed by OnClarity Labs. Sector level only; no company or person named.
