BUSINESSES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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1. How do I file a complaint against a business operating in Virginia?
There is a state office and three local consumer protection agencies located throughout Virginia that assist consumers with complaints. The Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA), within the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, provides protection to consumers against fraudulent, deceptive, and illegal practices in the marketplace. It serves as the central clearinghouse for the collection, evaluation, investigation or referral of consumer complaints. You may find out more information about OCA’s services as well as the three local consumer protection agencies by visiting:
Office of Consumer Affairs
PO Box 1163
Richmond, Va 23218
(804) 786-2042
Toll Free in VA ONLY: 1-800-552-9963
2. How do I file a complaint against a business operating outside of Virginia?
The state Attorney General or other local consumer protection office in the state where the company is based has the greatest chance of obtaining a satisfactory result against a company doing business outside of Virginia. To obtain contact information for other states Attorneys General, visit the
3. What do I do if I am a business owner and have a complaint concerning a transaction my business had with another business?
The resolution of certain complaints may only be pursued through the courts. These complaints typically arise from transactions between private individuals where no business or merchant is involved, or from transactions involving businesses where the products or services involved are intended for business or commercial use. The Better Business Bureau (“BBB”) accepts complaints made by one business against another. In many cases, dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration, may be available through the BBB to help resolve the dispute.
You may also wish to contact a private attorney for advice. If you do not have an attorney, you may contact the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service, sponsored by the Virginia State Bar (VSB). Contact information is below:
Virginia Lawyer Referral Service Web Site
In the Richmond area: (804) 775-0808
Nationwide toll free: 1-800-552-7977
4. How do I obtain corporate information about a company, i.e., registered agent, officers & directors?
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is the state agency responsible for, among other things, handling corporate filings for businesses that wish to conduct business in Virginia. The SCC requires corporations to register certain information, such as the name and address of their Registered Agent, their principal business address and the names of the officers and directors of the corporation. This information is available to the public online from the SCC Clerk’s Information System. Contact information is below:
SCC Clerk's Information System
(scroll down and click on the blue button labeled "Clerk's Information System")
Clerk of the State Corporation Commission
Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 371-9733
5. I would like to know if a company is legitimate or if you are investigating a particular company.
This Office does not:
Maintain lists of "legitimate" or "illegitimate" businesses
Disclose whether a specific company is under investigation by our Office
- Does not have general information on file relative to all companies doing business in Virginia
6. To check on a Virginia business:
There are several agencies you may wish to contact to attempt to obtain information about a particular company:
A) Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA)
Separate state agency that attempts to facilitate resolution of complaints by consumers against companies doing business in Virginia. OCA has authority to investigate and refer its findings to this Office and to other governmental offices for an appropriate enforcement action if it has reason to believe a pattern or practice of deception, or other wrongdoing, in violation of any of our consumer protection statutes is occurring. Complaints received by OCA are a matter of public record in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. Get online access to OCA’s searchable database of consumer complaints filed against companies doing business in Virginia by going to the OCA’s Consumer Portal or call or write:
Office of Consumer Affairs
PO Box 1163
Richmond, Va 23218
(804) 786-2042
Toll Free in VA ONLY: 1-800-552-9963
There also are three local consumer affairs offices in Virginia. If the business is located in one of these localities, you should contact the office in that locality:
City of Alexandria
Fairfax County
City of Virginia Beach
B) The Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Maintains records of complaints lodged against BBB member companies and can tell you how those complaints, if any, have been handled by the company. To locate the appropriate BBB office, visit the:
Council of Better Business Bureaus Web Site
C) Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC)
The state agency responsible for, among other things, handling corporate filings for businesses that wish to conduct business in Virginia. The SCC requires corporations to register certain information, such as the name and address of their Registered Agent, their principal business address, the names of officers and directors of the corporation and fictitious names. This information is available to the public. To obtain information online, go to the:
SCC Web Site Home Page
SCC Clerk's Home Page
Clerk of the State Corporation Commission
Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 371-9733
7. To check on a business outside of Virginia:
You may contact the Attorney General’s Office in the state in which the business is located:
National Association of Attorneys General Web Site
(scroll down to “AG Fast Facts” map to find a specific Attorney General)Go Directly to List of All Attorneys General
You may also contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that serves the locality in which the business is located. BBBs maintain records of complaints lodged against BBB member companies and can tell you how those complaints, if any, have been handled by the company:
8. What do I do if I have a complaint about an insurance company?
The State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance (Bureau) regulates insurance companies and investigates insurance complaints. The Bureau’s web site contains information about the Bureau, instructions for filing a consumer complaint, and instructions for downloading consumer publications. Contact information for the Bureau is below:
Bureau of Insurance toll free in Virginia: 1-800-552-7945
Bureau’s Life & Health Consumer Services: (804) 371-9691
Bureau’s Property & Casualty Consumer Services: (804) 371-9185
9. How do I file a complaint against a bank/credit card company?
Banks and other regulated financial institutions are exempt from the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, which this Office enforces. The Bureau of Financial Institutions (BFI) is a division within the Virginia State Corporation Commission. The BFI has jurisdiction over Virginia state-chartered financial institutions and certain out-of-state entities that have been granted authority to do business in the Commonwealth.
It is important to remember that the BFI does not act as the complainant's attorney. It also does not have the power to adjudicate complaints. If a dispute turns on facts that do not involve a supervised entity's violation of a specific law or regulation (such as a matter concerning internal policies or guidelines) the BFI will advise the complainant about other ways to pursue the complaint, such as through consulting a private attorney and/or initiating a court proceeding. For more information about banking issues and how to file a complaint:
The BFI does not have the authority to resolve complaints involving entities that are not under Virginia jurisdiction. Some institutions are regulated by federal government agencies. For example:
Commercial banks having the word "National" or using the title "N.A." (national association) in their title, are organized under and subject to federal law. Requests for information or complaints concerning these national banks should be directed to:
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
1-800-613-6743 (nationwide toll free number)
Savings banks and savings and loan associations having the word "Federal" in their name or which uses the initials "FSB" (federal savings bank), "FSA" (federal savings association), "FA" (federal association) or "FSLA" (federal savings and loan association) are regulated by the Office of Thrift Supervision, a federal agency. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to:
Office of Thrift Supervision
1-800-842-6929 (nationwide toll free number)
Federally regulated credit unions are similarly identified by the word "federal" in their name. Inquiries and complaints concerning federal credit unions should be directed to:
National Credit Union Administration
(703) 518-6300
If the complaint relates to a mortgage loan that is secured by a property outside of Virginia, you should contact that state's banking authority.
10. Can you give me information about payday lenders?
The Bureau of Financial Institutions is a regulatory division of the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC.) This division administers state laws regarding banking and savings institutions, as well as mortgage brokers and lenders, including payday lenders and others.
Legislation has been enacted allowing payday lenders to transact business in Virginia. The legislation became effective on July 1, 2002 and allowed payday lenders licensed by the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to begin such business on that date.
Bureau of Financial Institutions PayDay Lending Web Page
Basic requirements for filing an application to conduct a payday lending business include:
Before issuing a license, the SCC must find that the financial responsibility, character, reputation, experience and general fitness of the applicant and its members, senior officers, directors and principal owners are such as to warrant belief that the business will be operated efficiently and fairly, in the public interest and in accordance with law.
a $500 application fee;
a surety bond in the sum of $10,000 per location to be licensed (up to a maximum bond of $50,000); and
evidence that an applicant has at least $25,000 in unencumbered liquid assets per location to be license