{"id":"google-pay","page":"https://escalate.alexgaoth.com/#/c/google-pay","html":"https://escalate.alexgaoth.com/c/google-pay/","generated":"2026-10-15","company":{"id":"google-pay","name":"Google Pay and Google Wallet","aliases":["gpay","google wallet","google payment corp","google pay balance"],"sector":"payments","parent":"Google LLC (Google Payment Corp. is a subsidiary of Google LLC)","website":"https://pay.google.com","account_url":"https://wallet.google.com","official_domains":["google.com"],"security":{"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google never asks you to send personal info such as passwords, credit card numbers or tax info through an email, text message or phone call. If a message says Google must verify your info, go directly to payments.google.com.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you to download an app to receive support or solve a problem.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you for any information until you have signed in to your Google Account. Real messages from Google may ask you to click a link to verify your email address.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Scammers use online forums such as Craigslist to take Google Pay payments for goods (such as phones, shoes and concert tickets) or services. Google recommends paying a seller you don't know in person, and only after you receive the item or service.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"report-google-email","type":"web_form","label":"Report a suspicious email that claims to be from Google","value":"https://support.google.com/mail/contact/abuse","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"Google Pay's fraud and phishing page links to this form. Google says that if it cannot verify your Google Pay information, a real email may come from googlepay-noreply@google.com and ask you to sign in and send documents.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"regulators":["cfpb","ftc"],"notes":"Google Payment Corp. (GPC) provides the Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet services under the Google Payments Terms of Service (last modified July 22, 2026). Cards stored in Google Wallet stay with their issuing bank: Google cannot issue refunds for third-party merchants, so those disputes go to the merchant and then the card issuer. On June 22, 2026 the virtual Google Pay Balance Card was removed as a payment method; the Google Pay balance itself remains accessible at wallet.google.com.","channels":[{"id":"unauthorized-transaction-form","type":"web_form","label":"Google unauthorized transaction dispute form (charges from Google, descriptor GOOGLE*)","value":"https://pay.google.com/payments/u/0/unauthorizedtransactions","purposes":["unauthorized_charge"],"access":"login","notes":"Only for finalized charges; pending temporary holds cannot be disputed. Check status at https://pay.google.com/payments/u/0/unauthorizedtransactions?uts=status","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"help-contact","type":"web_form","label":"Google Pay Help contact us","value":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/gethelp","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","frozen_funds","account_access"],"access":"login","notes":"Redirects to Google sign-in. Google Pay Help lists no general phone number or email.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/9039712?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"gpc-error-phone","type":"phone","label":"Google Payment Corp. customer service for Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet errors and complaints","value":"+1-888-986-7944","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error","frozen_funds"],"access":"human_only","notes":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet only, not for cards stored in Google Wallet. For a Balance in Google Wallet, only the Family Manager can file a report.","source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"gpc-complaints-mail","type":"mail","label":"Google Payment Corp. Complaints Handling (balance errors and complaints)","value":"Google Payment Corp. – Complaints Handling, P.O. Box 727, Mountain View, CA 94042","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"notes":"ZIP 94042 is from the Google Payments Terms of Service; the Customer Service and Error Resolution Policy (wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html) prints the same P.O. box with ZIP 94043.","source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"wallet-web","type":"portal","label":"Google Wallet on the web (balance, transfers, Report an issue)","value":"https://wallet.google.com","purposes":["frozen_funds","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"login","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10197214?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"escalation":[{"rung":"frontline","channel":"help-contact"},{"rung":"written_complaint","channel":"gpc-complaints-mail","note":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet."},{"rung":"payment_dispute","note":"For a card stored in Google Wallet, dispute the charge with the card issuer."},{"rung":"regulator","regulator":"cfpb"},{"rung":"state_agency","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","note":"Google lists its state licenses and regulator contacts at support.google.com/googlepay/answer/7160765."}],"playbooks":[{"issue":"unauthorized_charge","summary":"Charges from Google go through Google's unauthorized transaction form; charges on a card in Google Wallet go to the card issuer; balance errors go to Google Payment Corp. within 60 days.","evidence":["charge date","amount and descriptor","statement","proof you or your family did not make it"],"steps":[{"do":"Confirm the charge is finalized and that no family member made it."},{"do":"For a charge from Google (descriptor GOOGLE*), submit the unauthorized transaction dispute form.","channel":"unauthorized-transaction-form"},{"do":"For a charge from another merchant on a card stored in Google Wallet, contact the merchant, then your bank or card issuer."},{"do":"For an error on a Google Pay Balance or Balance in Google Wallet, call or write to Google Payment Corp. within 60 days.","channel":"gpc-error-phone"},{"do":"If the error is not fixed, complain to the CFPB.","regulator":"cfpb"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"Pending temporary holds cannot be disputed. After you submit the unauthorized transaction form, Google sends an email update within a few days.","issues":["unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"For Google Pay Balance errors, notify Google Payment Corp. no later than 60 days after the earlier of the date you electronically access your account or the date of the first statement showing the error.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Google Payment Corp. determines whether an error occurred within 10 business days, may take up to 45 days (up to 90 days for new accounts, new cards or foreign-initiated transactions), and tells you the result within 3 business days after the investigation.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"limit","claim":"If you report a lost or stolen login or card within 2 business days, you can lose no more than $50; otherwise you could lose as much as $500.","issues":["unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},{"issue":"refund_request","summary":"Google cannot refund third-party merchant purchases; ask the merchant, then dispute with the card issuer. Google product refunds go to that product's support team.","evidence":["order confirmation","merchant correspondence","refund ARN or trace number if the merchant says it refunded"],"steps":[{"do":"Ask the merchant's customer support for the refund."},{"do":"If the merchant says it refunded but the money has not arrived, ask for the ARN or trace number and give it to your bank."},{"do":"If the merchant does not resolve it, dispute the charge with your bank or card issuer at once."},{"do":"For a Google product (Play, YouTube, Google One, Google Store), send the refund request to that product's support team."}],"facts":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google says it cannot directly issue refunds or cancel external subscriptions for third-party merchants.","issues":["refund_request","transaction_dispute"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Merchant refunds can take 2 to 4 weeks to post and go back to the original payment method, not to Google Wallet history.","issues":["refund_request"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},{"issue":"transaction_dispute","summary":"Talk to the store first, then dispute with the card issuer; for a child's Balance in Google Wallet the Family Manager disputes in wallet.google.com.","evidence":["transaction details","messages with the store"],"steps":[{"do":"Contact the store and try to fix the problem."},{"do":"If that fails, dispute the payment with your bank or card issuer."},{"do":"For a child's Balance in Google Wallet, the Family Manager opens wallet.google.com > Family > child > transaction > Report an issue > Dispute.","channel":"wallet-web"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"For a Balance in Google Wallet dispute, a temporary credit is added if review takes more than 10 business days, and the full investigation may take up to 45 business days.","issues":["transaction_dispute"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},{"issue":"frozen_funds","summary":"Use Google Pay Help (signed in) for a suspended account; ask Google Payment Corp. in writing for held balance funds.","evidence":["suspension notice","balance amount"],"steps":[{"do":"If you see \"Account suspended\" or \"Account not supported\", contact Google Pay Help while signed in.","channel":"help-contact"},{"do":"Ask in writing for release of the held balance.","channel":"gpc-complaints-mail"},{"do":"If the funds are not released, complain to the CFPB and your state financial regulator.","regulator":"cfpb"}],"facts":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google may restrict access to a Google Pay account or Google Pay Balance temporarily or permanently. If it suspends the account, it will provide any held funds to you to the extent permitted by law.","issues":["frozen_funds"],"source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A transfer out of the Google Pay balance to a linked bank account should be available within 1 to 5 business days.","issues":["frozen_funds"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10197214?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]}],"known_blockers":["Google Pay Help contact and the unauthorized transaction form need Google sign-in.","For a Balance in Google Wallet, only the Family Manager can file a dispute or error report.","Google has no published general phone line for Google Wallet card issues; those go to the card issuer."]},"playbooks":{"unauthorized_charge":{"company":{"id":"google-pay","name":"Google Pay and Google Wallet","sector":"payments","website":"https://pay.google.com","account_url":"https://wallet.google.com"},"issue":{"id":"unauthorized_charge","name":"Unauthorized charge"},"playbook_source":"company","summary":"Charges from Google go through Google's unauthorized transaction form; charges on a card in Google Wallet go to the card issuer; balance errors go to Google Payment Corp. within 60 days.","evidence":["charge date","amount and descriptor","statement","proof you or your family did not make it"],"steps":[{"do":"Confirm the charge is finalized and that no family member made it."},{"do":"For a charge from Google (descriptor GOOGLE*), submit the unauthorized transaction dispute form.","channel":{"id":"unauthorized-transaction-form","type":"web_form","label":"Google unauthorized transaction dispute form (charges from Google, descriptor GOOGLE*)","value":"https://pay.google.com/payments/u/0/unauthorizedtransactions","purposes":["unauthorized_charge"],"access":"login","notes":"Only for finalized charges; pending temporary holds cannot be disputed. Check status at https://pay.google.com/payments/u/0/unauthorizedtransactions?uts=status","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"do":"For a charge from another merchant on a card stored in Google Wallet, contact the merchant, then your bank or card issuer."},{"do":"For an error on a Google Pay Balance or Balance in Google Wallet, call or write to Google Payment Corp. within 60 days.","channel":{"id":"gpc-error-phone","type":"phone","label":"Google Payment Corp. customer service for Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet errors and complaints","value":"+1-888-986-7944","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error","frozen_funds"],"access":"human_only","notes":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet only, not for cards stored in Google Wallet. For a Balance in Google Wallet, only the Family Manager can file a report.","source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"do":"If the error is not fixed, complain to the CFPB.","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}}],"channels":[{"id":"unauthorized-transaction-form","type":"web_form","label":"Google unauthorized transaction dispute form (charges from Google, descriptor GOOGLE*)","value":"https://pay.google.com/payments/u/0/unauthorizedtransactions","purposes":["unauthorized_charge"],"access":"login","notes":"Only for finalized charges; pending temporary holds cannot be disputed. Check status at https://pay.google.com/payments/u/0/unauthorizedtransactions?uts=status","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"help-contact","type":"web_form","label":"Google Pay Help contact us","value":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/gethelp","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","frozen_funds","account_access"],"access":"login","notes":"Redirects to Google sign-in. Google Pay Help lists no general phone number or email.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/9039712?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"gpc-error-phone","type":"phone","label":"Google Payment Corp. customer service for Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet errors and complaints","value":"+1-888-986-7944","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error","frozen_funds"],"access":"human_only","notes":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet only, not for cards stored in Google Wallet. For a Balance in Google Wallet, only the Family Manager can file a report.","source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"gpc-complaints-mail","type":"mail","label":"Google Payment Corp. Complaints Handling (balance errors and complaints)","value":"Google Payment Corp. – Complaints Handling, P.O. Box 727, Mountain View, CA 94042","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"notes":"ZIP 94042 is from the Google Payments Terms of Service; the Customer Service and Error Resolution Policy (wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html) prints the same P.O. box with ZIP 94043.","source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"wallet-web","type":"portal","label":"Google Wallet on the web (balance, transfers, Report an issue)","value":"https://wallet.google.com","purposes":["frozen_funds","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"login","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10197214?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"Pending temporary holds cannot be disputed. After you submit the unauthorized transaction form, Google sends an email update within a few days.","issues":["unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"For Google Pay Balance errors, notify Google Payment Corp. no later than 60 days after the earlier of the date you electronically access your account or the date of the first statement showing the error.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Google Payment Corp. determines whether an error occurred within 10 business days, may take up to 45 days (up to 90 days for new accounts, new cards or foreign-initiated transactions), and tells you the result within 3 business days after the investigation.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"limit","claim":"If you report a lost or stolen login or card within 2 business days, you can lose no more than $50; otherwise you could lose as much as $500.","issues":["unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"rules":{"in_force":[{"id":"efta-reg-e","title":"Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)","citation":"12 CFR 1005.6; 12 CFR 1005.11; 12 CFR 1005.2(m) (Regulation E)","jurisdiction":"us-federal","status":"in_effect","summary":"For debit cards, ATM transfers, ACH and other electronic fund transfers from a consumer account (including P2P payments that meet the EFT definition), the consumer has 60 days after the statement is sent to report an error. The institution must investigate within 10 business days, or within 45 days if it provisionally credits the account within 10 business days. Liability for unauthorized transfers is capped at $50, $500 or more depending on how fast the consumer reports.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12","points":[{"kind":"limit","claim":"If the consumer reports a lost or stolen access device within two business days after learning of the loss or theft, liability is limited to \"the lesser of $50 or the amount of unauthorized transfers that occur before notice\".","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"limit","claim":"If the consumer does not report within two business days after learning of the loss or theft, liability is \"the lesser of $500 or the sum of\" up to $50 of transfers in the first two business days and later transfers the institution shows would have been prevented by timely notice.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"An unauthorized transfer that appears on a periodic statement must be reported \"within 60 days of the financial institution's transmittal of the statement\" to avoid liability for later transfers that timely notice would have prevented. The institution must extend these time limits to a reasonable period when extenuating circumstances (for example extended travel or hospitalization) delayed notice.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Notice of an unauthorized transfer may be given in person, by phone or in writing. Written notice is considered given at the time the consumer mails it. Lower liability under state law or the account agreement controls.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/6/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"An unauthorized EFT is a transfer from the consumer's account initiated by someone other than the consumer without actual authority and from which the consumer receives no benefit. It does not include a transfer by a person to whom the consumer gave the access device (until the consumer tells the institution that person is no longer authorized), a transfer made with fraudulent intent by the consumer or someone acting with the consumer, or a transfer by the institution or its employee.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/2/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Errors covered by the error-resolution procedure include an unauthorized EFT, an incorrect EFT to or from the account, an omitted transfer on a statement, a computational or bookkeeping error, receiving the wrong amount of cash from an ATM, and a request for documentation or clarification about a transfer.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"The consumer must give notice of an error no later than 60 days after the institution sent the periodic statement on which the error first appears. The notice must let the institution identify the consumer's name and account and say why the consumer believes there is an error. If notice is oral, the institution may require written confirmation within 10 business days.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"The institution must investigate and decide within 10 business days, report results within 3 business days after it completes the investigation, and correct an error within 1 business day after it finds one. It may take up to 45 days only if it provisionally credits the disputed amount within 10 business days. It need not provisionally credit if it asked for written confirmation of an oral notice and did not receive it within 10 business days.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Longer periods apply in some cases: 20 business days instead of 10 for transfers within 30 days after the first deposit to a new account, and 90 days instead of 45 for point-of-sale debit card transactions, transfers not initiated within a state, and new-account transfers.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"If the institution finds no error, it must give a written explanation and tell the consumer of the right to request the documents it relied on. If it debits a provisional credit, it must notify the consumer of the date and amount and honor checks and preauthorized transfers for five business days after the notice.","issues":["unauthorized_charge","fraud","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"P2P (CFPB guidance, not rule text): the CFPB's Electronic Fund Transfers FAQs state that any P2P payment that meets the definition of an EFT is covered by EFTA and Regulation E, and that when a consumer is fraudulently induced into sharing account access information with a third party, the resulting transfer by that third party is an unauthorized EFT.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/deposit-accounts-resources/electronic-fund-transfers/electronic-fund-transfers-faqs/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"CFPB guidance (Electronic Fund Transfers FAQs): an institution must begin its investigation promptly on an oral or written notice of error and may not require a police report or require the consumer to contact the merchant first. Consumer negligence, such as writing a PIN on the card, cannot be used to impose greater liability.","issues":["fraud","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/compliance/compliance-resources/deposit-accounts-resources/electronic-fund-transfers/electronic-fund-transfers-faqs/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},{"id":"rosca-negative-option","title":"Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) negative option requirements","citation":"15 U.S.C. 8401-8405","jurisdiction":"us-federal","status":"in_effect","summary":"A seller that charges consumers online through a negative option feature (for example an automatic renewal or a free trial that converts to paid) must clearly disclose all material terms before taking billing information, get the consumer's express informed consent before charging, and provide simple mechanisms to stop recurring charges. The FTC enforces ROSCA.","source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8403","last_verified":"2026-10-12","points_omitted":1,"points":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Before obtaining the consumer's billing information, the seller must provide text that \"clearly and conspicuously discloses all material terms of the transaction\".","issues":["cancel_service","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8403","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"The seller must obtain \"a consumer's express informed consent before charging the consumer's credit card, debit card, bank account, or other financial account\".","issues":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8403","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"A post-transaction third-party seller may not charge a consumer for an online sale unless it discloses the material terms and gets express informed consent, including the consumer's full account number, before charging. An initial merchant may not pass a customer's account number or other billing information to such a seller.","issues":["unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8402","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A ROSCA violation is treated as a violation of an FTC rule on unfair or deceptive acts or practices, and the FTC enforces ROSCA with its FTC Act powers and penalties. Report violations to the FTC.","issues":["cancel_service","unauthorized_charge"],"source":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/8404","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]}],"not_in_force":[]},"tips":[],"escalation":[{"index":0,"rung":"frontline","channel":{"id":"help-contact","type":"web_form","label":"Google Pay Help contact us","value":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/gethelp","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","frozen_funds","account_access"],"access":"login","notes":"Redirects to Google sign-in. Google Pay Help lists no general phone number or email.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/9039712?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":1,"rung":"written_complaint","note":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet.","channel":{"id":"gpc-complaints-mail","type":"mail","label":"Google Payment Corp. Complaints Handling (balance errors and complaints)","value":"Google Payment Corp. – Complaints Handling, P.O. Box 727, Mountain View, CA 94042","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"notes":"ZIP 94042 is from the Google Payments Terms of Service; the Customer Service and Error Resolution Policy (wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html) prints the same P.O. box with ZIP 94043.","source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":2,"rung":"payment_dispute","note":"For a card stored in Google Wallet, dispute the charge with the card issuer.","rules":["fcba-billing-error","efta-reg-e"]},{"index":3,"rung":"regulator","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}},{"index":4,"rung":"state_agency","note":"Google lists its state licenses and regulator contacts at support.google.com/googlepay/answer/7160765.","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","agencies":"Ask for the person's state, then call find_regulators."}],"known_blockers":["Google Pay Help contact and the unauthorized transaction form need Google sign-in.","For a Balance in Google Wallet, only the Family Manager can file a dispute or error report.","Google has no published general phone line for Google Wallet card issues; those go to the card issuer."],"security":{"official_domains":["google.com"],"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google never asks you to send personal info such as passwords, credit card numbers or tax info through an email, text message or phone call. If a message says Google must verify your info, go directly to payments.google.com.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you to download an app to receive support or solve a problem.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you for any information until you have signed in to your Google Account. Real messages from Google may ask you to click a link to verify your email address.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Scammers use online forums such as Craigslist to take Google Pay payments for goods (such as phones, shoes and concert tickets) or services. Google recommends paying a seller you don't know in person, and only after you receive the item or service.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"report-google-email","type":"web_form","label":"Report a suspicious email that claims to be from Google","value":"https://support.google.com/mail/contact/abuse","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"Google Pay's fraud and phishing page links to this form. Google says that if it cannot verify your Google Pay information, a real email may come from googlepay-noreply@google.com and ask you to sign in and send documents.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"credibility":{"grade":"A","primary_share":1.0,"sources":{"primary":19},"verified_from":{"page":19},"last_verified":"2026-10-12","oldest_verified":"2026-10-12","stale_items":0,"explanation":"Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 100% of 19 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.","dossier_last_verified":null},"context":{"dossier":false,"sector_guide":true,"hint":"Call get_context for how this company handles complaints in practice and which scams use its name."},"notes":"Google Payment Corp. (GPC) provides the Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet services under the Google Payments Terms of Service (last modified July 22, 2026). Cards stored in Google Wallet stay with their issuing bank: Google cannot issue refunds for third-party merchants, so those disputes go to the merchant and then the card issuer. On June 22, 2026 the virtual Google Pay Balance Card was removed as a payment method; the Google Pay balance itself remains accessible at wallet.google.com.","warnings":[]},"refund_request":{"company":{"id":"google-pay","name":"Google Pay and Google Wallet","sector":"payments","website":"https://pay.google.com","account_url":"https://wallet.google.com"},"issue":{"id":"refund_request","name":"Refund request"},"playbook_source":"company","summary":"Google cannot refund third-party merchant purchases; ask the merchant, then dispute with the card issuer. Google product refunds go to that product's support team.","evidence":["order confirmation","merchant correspondence","refund ARN or trace number if the merchant says it refunded"],"steps":[{"do":"Ask the merchant's customer support for the refund."},{"do":"If the merchant says it refunded but the money has not arrived, ask for the ARN or trace number and give it to your bank."},{"do":"If the merchant does not resolve it, dispute the charge with your bank or card issuer at once."},{"do":"For a Google product (Play, YouTube, Google One, Google Store), send the refund request to that product's support team."}],"channels":[],"facts":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google says it cannot directly issue refunds or cancel external subscriptions for third-party merchants.","issues":["refund_request","transaction_dispute"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"Merchant refunds can take 2 to 4 weeks to post and go back to the original payment method, not to Google Wallet history.","issues":["refund_request"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"rules":{"in_force":[],"not_in_force":[]},"tips":[],"escalation":[{"index":0,"rung":"frontline","channel":{"id":"help-contact","type":"web_form","label":"Google Pay Help contact us","value":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/gethelp","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","frozen_funds","account_access"],"access":"login","notes":"Redirects to Google sign-in. Google Pay Help lists no general phone number or email.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/9039712?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":1,"rung":"written_complaint","note":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet.","channel":{"id":"gpc-complaints-mail","type":"mail","label":"Google Payment Corp. Complaints Handling (balance errors and complaints)","value":"Google Payment Corp. – Complaints Handling, P.O. Box 727, Mountain View, CA 94042","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"notes":"ZIP 94042 is from the Google Payments Terms of Service; the Customer Service and Error Resolution Policy (wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html) prints the same P.O. box with ZIP 94043.","source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":2,"rung":"payment_dispute","note":"For a card stored in Google Wallet, dispute the charge with the card issuer.","rules":["fcba-billing-error","efta-reg-e"]},{"index":3,"rung":"regulator","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}},{"index":4,"rung":"state_agency","note":"Google lists its state licenses and regulator contacts at support.google.com/googlepay/answer/7160765.","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","agencies":"Ask for the person's state, then call find_regulators."}],"known_blockers":["Google Pay Help contact and the unauthorized transaction form need Google sign-in.","For a Balance in Google Wallet, only the Family Manager can file a dispute or error report.","Google has no published general phone line for Google Wallet card issues; those go to the card issuer."],"security":{"official_domains":["google.com"],"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google never asks you to send personal info such as passwords, credit card numbers or tax info through an email, text message or phone call. If a message says Google must verify your info, go directly to payments.google.com.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you to download an app to receive support or solve a problem.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you for any information until you have signed in to your Google Account. Real messages from Google may ask you to click a link to verify your email address.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Scammers use online forums such as Craigslist to take Google Pay payments for goods (such as phones, shoes and concert tickets) or services. Google recommends paying a seller you don't know in person, and only after you receive the item or service.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"report-google-email","type":"web_form","label":"Report a suspicious email that claims to be from Google","value":"https://support.google.com/mail/contact/abuse","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"Google Pay's fraud and phishing page links to this form. Google says that if it cannot verify your Google Pay information, a real email may come from googlepay-noreply@google.com and ask you to sign in and send documents.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"credibility":{"grade":"A","primary_share":1.0,"sources":{"primary":19},"verified_from":{"page":19},"last_verified":"2026-10-12","oldest_verified":"2026-10-12","stale_items":0,"explanation":"Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 100% of 19 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.","dossier_last_verified":null},"context":{"dossier":false,"sector_guide":true,"hint":"Call get_context for how this company handles complaints in practice and which scams use its name."},"notes":"Google Payment Corp. (GPC) provides the Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet services under the Google Payments Terms of Service (last modified July 22, 2026). Cards stored in Google Wallet stay with their issuing bank: Google cannot issue refunds for third-party merchants, so those disputes go to the merchant and then the card issuer. On June 22, 2026 the virtual Google Pay Balance Card was removed as a payment method; the Google Pay balance itself remains accessible at wallet.google.com.","warnings":[]},"transaction_dispute":{"company":{"id":"google-pay","name":"Google Pay and Google Wallet","sector":"payments","website":"https://pay.google.com","account_url":"https://wallet.google.com"},"issue":{"id":"transaction_dispute","name":"Dispute with a merchant through the bank"},"playbook_source":"company","summary":"Talk to the store first, then dispute with the card issuer; for a child's Balance in Google Wallet the Family Manager disputes in wallet.google.com.","evidence":["transaction details","messages with the store"],"steps":[{"do":"Contact the store and try to fix the problem."},{"do":"If that fails, dispute the payment with your bank or card issuer."},{"do":"For a child's Balance in Google Wallet, the Family Manager opens wallet.google.com > Family > child > transaction > Report an issue > Dispute.","channel":{"id":"wallet-web","type":"portal","label":"Google Wallet on the web (balance, transfers, Report an issue)","value":"https://wallet.google.com","purposes":["frozen_funds","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"login","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10197214?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}}],"channels":[],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"For a Balance in Google Wallet dispute, a temporary credit is added if review takes more than 10 business days, and the full investigation may take up to 45 business days.","issues":["transaction_dispute"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10002386?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"rules":{"in_force":[],"not_in_force":[]},"tips":[],"escalation":[{"index":0,"rung":"frontline","channel":{"id":"help-contact","type":"web_form","label":"Google Pay Help contact us","value":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/gethelp","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","frozen_funds","account_access"],"access":"login","notes":"Redirects to Google sign-in. Google Pay Help lists no general phone number or email.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/9039712?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":1,"rung":"written_complaint","note":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet.","channel":{"id":"gpc-complaints-mail","type":"mail","label":"Google Payment Corp. Complaints Handling (balance errors and complaints)","value":"Google Payment Corp. – Complaints Handling, P.O. Box 727, Mountain View, CA 94042","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"notes":"ZIP 94042 is from the Google Payments Terms of Service; the Customer Service and Error Resolution Policy (wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html) prints the same P.O. box with ZIP 94043.","source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":2,"rung":"payment_dispute","note":"For a card stored in Google Wallet, dispute the charge with the card issuer.","rules":["fcba-billing-error","efta-reg-e"]},{"index":3,"rung":"regulator","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}},{"index":4,"rung":"state_agency","note":"Google lists its state licenses and regulator contacts at support.google.com/googlepay/answer/7160765.","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","agencies":"Ask for the person's state, then call find_regulators."}],"known_blockers":["Google Pay Help contact and the unauthorized transaction form need Google sign-in.","For a Balance in Google Wallet, only the Family Manager can file a dispute or error report.","Google has no published general phone line for Google Wallet card issues; those go to the card issuer."],"security":{"official_domains":["google.com"],"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google never asks you to send personal info such as passwords, credit card numbers or tax info through an email, text message or phone call. If a message says Google must verify your info, go directly to payments.google.com.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you to download an app to receive support or solve a problem.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you for any information until you have signed in to your Google Account. Real messages from Google may ask you to click a link to verify your email address.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Scammers use online forums such as Craigslist to take Google Pay payments for goods (such as phones, shoes and concert tickets) or services. Google recommends paying a seller you don't know in person, and only after you receive the item or service.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"report-google-email","type":"web_form","label":"Report a suspicious email that claims to be from Google","value":"https://support.google.com/mail/contact/abuse","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"Google Pay's fraud and phishing page links to this form. Google says that if it cannot verify your Google Pay information, a real email may come from googlepay-noreply@google.com and ask you to sign in and send documents.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"credibility":{"grade":"A","primary_share":1.0,"sources":{"primary":19},"verified_from":{"page":19},"last_verified":"2026-10-12","oldest_verified":"2026-10-12","stale_items":0,"explanation":"Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 100% of 19 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.","dossier_last_verified":null},"context":{"dossier":false,"sector_guide":true,"hint":"Call get_context for how this company handles complaints in practice and which scams use its name."},"notes":"Google Payment Corp. (GPC) provides the Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet services under the Google Payments Terms of Service (last modified July 22, 2026). Cards stored in Google Wallet stay with their issuing bank: Google cannot issue refunds for third-party merchants, so those disputes go to the merchant and then the card issuer. On June 22, 2026 the virtual Google Pay Balance Card was removed as a payment method; the Google Pay balance itself remains accessible at wallet.google.com.","warnings":[]},"frozen_funds":{"company":{"id":"google-pay","name":"Google Pay and Google Wallet","sector":"payments","website":"https://pay.google.com","account_url":"https://wallet.google.com"},"issue":{"id":"frozen_funds","name":"Account frozen or closed"},"playbook_source":"company","summary":"Use Google Pay Help (signed in) for a suspended account; ask Google Payment Corp. in writing for held balance funds.","evidence":["suspension notice","balance amount"],"steps":[{"do":"If you see \"Account suspended\" or \"Account not supported\", contact Google Pay Help while signed in.","channel":{"id":"help-contact","type":"web_form","label":"Google Pay Help contact us","value":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/gethelp","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","frozen_funds","account_access"],"access":"login","notes":"Redirects to Google sign-in. Google Pay Help lists no general phone number or email.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/9039712?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"do":"Ask in writing for release of the held balance.","channel":{"id":"gpc-complaints-mail","type":"mail","label":"Google Payment Corp. Complaints Handling (balance errors and complaints)","value":"Google Payment Corp. – Complaints Handling, P.O. Box 727, Mountain View, CA 94042","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"notes":"ZIP 94042 is from the Google Payments Terms of Service; the Customer Service and Error Resolution Policy (wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html) prints the same P.O. box with ZIP 94043.","source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"do":"If the funds are not released, complain to the CFPB and your state financial regulator.","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}}],"channels":[{"id":"help-contact","type":"web_form","label":"Google Pay Help contact us","value":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/gethelp","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","frozen_funds","account_access"],"access":"login","notes":"Redirects to Google sign-in. Google Pay Help lists no general phone number or email.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/9039712?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"gpc-error-phone","type":"phone","label":"Google Payment Corp. customer service for Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet errors and complaints","value":"+1-888-986-7944","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error","frozen_funds"],"access":"human_only","notes":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet only, not for cards stored in Google Wallet. For a Balance in Google Wallet, only the Family Manager can file a report.","source":"https://wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"wallet-web","type":"portal","label":"Google Wallet on the web (balance, transfers, Report an issue)","value":"https://wallet.google.com","purposes":["frozen_funds","unauthorized_charge"],"access":"login","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10197214?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google may restrict access to a Google Pay account or Google Pay Balance temporarily or permanently. If it suspends the account, it will provide any held funds to you to the extent permitted by law.","issues":["frozen_funds"],"source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A transfer out of the Google Pay balance to a linked bank account should be available within 1 to 5 business days.","issues":["frozen_funds"],"source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/10197214?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"rules":{"in_force":[],"not_in_force":[]},"tips":[],"escalation":[{"index":0,"rung":"frontline","channel":{"id":"help-contact","type":"web_form","label":"Google Pay Help contact us","value":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/gethelp","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","frozen_funds","account_access"],"access":"login","notes":"Redirects to Google sign-in. Google Pay Help lists no general phone number or email.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/9039712?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":1,"rung":"written_complaint","note":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet.","channel":{"id":"gpc-complaints-mail","type":"mail","label":"Google Payment Corp. Complaints Handling (balance errors and complaints)","value":"Google Payment Corp. – Complaints Handling, P.O. Box 727, Mountain View, CA 94042","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"notes":"ZIP 94042 is from the Google Payments Terms of Service; the Customer Service and Error Resolution Policy (wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html) prints the same P.O. box with ZIP 94043.","source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":2,"rung":"payment_dispute","note":"For a card stored in Google Wallet, dispute the charge with the card issuer.","rules":["fcba-billing-error","efta-reg-e"]},{"index":3,"rung":"regulator","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}},{"index":4,"rung":"state_agency","note":"Google lists its state licenses and regulator contacts at support.google.com/googlepay/answer/7160765.","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","agencies":"Ask for the person's state, then call find_regulators."}],"known_blockers":["Google Pay Help contact and the unauthorized transaction form need Google sign-in.","For a Balance in Google Wallet, only the Family Manager can file a dispute or error report.","Google has no published general phone line for Google Wallet card issues; those go to the card issuer."],"security":{"official_domains":["google.com"],"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google never asks you to send personal info such as passwords, credit card numbers or tax info through an email, text message or phone call. If a message says Google must verify your info, go directly to payments.google.com.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you to download an app to receive support or solve a problem.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you for any information until you have signed in to your Google Account. Real messages from Google may ask you to click a link to verify your email address.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Scammers use online forums such as Craigslist to take Google Pay payments for goods (such as phones, shoes and concert tickets) or services. Google recommends paying a seller you don't know in person, and only after you receive the item or service.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"report-google-email","type":"web_form","label":"Report a suspicious email that claims to be from Google","value":"https://support.google.com/mail/contact/abuse","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"Google Pay's fraud and phishing page links to this form. Google says that if it cannot verify your Google Pay information, a real email may come from googlepay-noreply@google.com and ask you to sign in and send documents.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"credibility":{"grade":"A","primary_share":1.0,"sources":{"primary":19},"verified_from":{"page":19},"last_verified":"2026-10-12","oldest_verified":"2026-10-12","stale_items":0,"explanation":"Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 100% of 19 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.","dossier_last_verified":null},"context":{"dossier":false,"sector_guide":true,"hint":"Call get_context for how this company handles complaints in practice and which scams use its name."},"notes":"Google Payment Corp. (GPC) provides the Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet services under the Google Payments Terms of Service (last modified July 22, 2026). Cards stored in Google Wallet stay with their issuing bank: Google cannot issue refunds for third-party merchants, so those disputes go to the merchant and then the card issuer. On June 22, 2026 the virtual Google Pay Balance Card was removed as a payment method; the Google Pay balance itself remains accessible at wallet.google.com.","warnings":[]}},"escalation":[{"index":0,"rung":"frontline","channel":{"id":"help-contact","type":"web_form","label":"Google Pay Help contact us","value":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/gethelp","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","frozen_funds","account_access"],"access":"login","notes":"Redirects to Google sign-in. Google Pay Help lists no general phone number or email.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/9039712?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":1,"rung":"written_complaint","note":"For Google Pay Balance and Balance in Google Wallet.","channel":{"id":"gpc-complaints-mail","type":"mail","label":"Google Payment Corp. Complaints Handling (balance errors and complaints)","value":"Google Payment Corp. – Complaints Handling, P.O. Box 727, Mountain View, CA 94042","purposes":["unauthorized_charge","billing_error"],"notes":"ZIP 94042 is from the Google Payments Terms of Service; the Customer Service and Error Resolution Policy (wallet.google.com/files/error-resolution.html) prints the same P.O. box with ZIP 94043.","source":"https://payments.google.com/payments/apis-secure/u/0/get_legal_document?ldo=0&ldt=buyertos&ldr=US","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}},{"index":2,"rung":"payment_dispute","note":"For a card stored in Google Wallet, dispute the charge with the card issuer.","rules":["fcba-billing-error","efta-reg-e"]},{"index":3,"rung":"regulator","regulator":{"id":"cfpb","name":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau","level":"federal","when_to_use":"Use for a problem with a consumer financial product (bank account, credit card, credit report, debt collection, money transfer, mortgage, loan) after the company did not fix it. Put every fact and document in one complaint, because a second complaint about the same problem is generally not accepted.","channels":[{"id":"complaint-form","type":"web_form","label":"Submit a complaint","value":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","purposes":["credit_report_error","debt_collection","transaction_dispute","fee_reversal","frozen_funds","fraud","billing_error","unauthorized_charge","student_loan_servicing"],"notes":"Online filing takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Your mailing address is required so the company can respond.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-phone","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line","value":"+1-855-411-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","notes":"A phone complaint takes about 25 to 30 minutes.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-tty","type":"phone","label":"Complaint line, TTY/TDD","value":"+1-855-729-2372","hours":"9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"id":"complaint-mail","type":"mail","label":"Complaints by mail","value":"Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PO Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/contact-us/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"facts":[{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB sends each complaint to the company for a response. If another government agency is better able to help, the CFPB sends the complaint there and tells you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases the company says its response is in progress and gives a final response within 60 days.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"deadline","claim":"You have 60 days after the company responds to give feedback about the response.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/process/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"A complaint should give the key facts in your own words with the important dates, amounts and communications, and may attach supporting documents up to 50 pages. A person filing for someone else must say so, and companies generally need signed written authorization from the consumer.","source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"process","claim":"The CFPB says federal student loan programs are within the sole legal purview of the Department of Education, and sends federal loan questions to studentaid.gov.","issues":["student_loan_servicing"],"source":"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/student-loans/","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"notes":"2025-2026 status: the CFPB's funding, staffing and leadership were in litigation (a reduction-in-force order and the acting director's refusal to request Federal Reserve funding; three district courts rejected that refusal, the latest on 2026-09-25). On 2026-10-12 the complaint pages (modified 2026-10-05) still accepted complaints and described the 15-day company response, and the form had added a path for debanking complaints under Executive Order 14331. For federal student loans, use Federal Student Aid (ed-fsa) first."}},{"index":4,"rung":"state_agency","note":"Google lists its state licenses and regulator contacts at support.google.com/googlepay/answer/7160765.","agency_kind":"financial_regulator","agencies":"Ask for the person's state, then call find_regulators."}],"security":{"official_domains":["google.com"],"never_asks":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google never asks you to send personal info such as passwords, credit card numbers or tax info through an email, text message or phone call. If a message says Google must verify your info, go directly to payments.google.com.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you to download an app to receive support or solve a problem.","source":"https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/7643925?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"},{"kind":"policy","claim":"Google won't ask you for any information until you have signed in to your Google Account. Real messages from Google may ask you to click a link to verify your email address.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"known_scams":[{"kind":"policy","claim":"Scammers use online forums such as Craigslist to take Google Pay payments for goods (such as phones, shoes and concert tickets) or services. Google recommends paying a seller you don't know in person, and only after you receive the item or service.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}],"report_phishing":[{"id":"report-google-email","type":"web_form","label":"Report a suspicious email that claims to be from Google","value":"https://support.google.com/mail/contact/abuse","purposes":["fraud"],"notes":"Google Pay's fraud and phishing page links to this form. Google says that if it cannot verify your Google Pay information, a real email may come from googlepay-noreply@google.com and ask you to sign in and send documents.","source":"https://support.google.com/googlepay/answer/6285511?hl=en","last_verified":"2026-10-12"}]},"credibility":{"grade":"A","primary_share":1.0,"sources":{"primary":19},"verified_from":{"page":19},"last_verified":"2026-10-12","oldest_verified":"2026-10-12","stale_items":0,"explanation":"Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 100% of 19 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.","dossier_last_verified":null},"dossier":null,"guide":{"key":"payments","title":"Payment apps and money transfer services — how complaints work","last_verified":"2026-10-12","file":"guides/payments.md","page":"https://escalate.alexgaoth.com/#/guides/payments"}}