USA
If a bank or lender will not resolve a problem, you can complain to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov or by phone on (855) 411-2372.
Real World: Customer Service
Customer Service Chatbots: Why You Get A Bot, Not A Person
Many banks and shops now answer you with a chatbot before a person. A US government report found about 37% of Americans used a bank chatbot in 2022. Bots handle simple questions well, but the same report found people getting stuck in loops. You can usually ask for a human.
Last checked 16 October 2026. Every figure on this page links to its source below.
Why Do Companies Use Chatbots?
A chatbot can answer simple questions at any hour, instantly, and costs far less than a call centre. The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a government agency that protects people using banks and lenders, looked at this in a June 2023 report. It found that all ten of the largest US commercial banks use chatbots in their customer service.
How Many People Use Them?
The CFPB report says about 98 million people, roughly 37% of the US population, used a bank's chatbot in 2022. It cited an estimate that this will rise to 110.9 million by 2026. Bank of America's assistant, Erica, had been used by nearly 32 million customers in over 1 billion conversations by October 2022.
Bank chatbots in the USA
- 37%of Americans used a bank chatbot in 2022
- 98 millionusers in 2022
- 110.9 millionusers estimated by 2026
- 10 of 10largest US banks use chatbots
What Goes Wrong With Chatbots?
The CFPB found chatbots work for basic tasks, such as checking a balance, but struggle as problems get more complicated. Complaints it received described:
- "doom loops", where the bot keeps sending you round the same questions with no way out
- wrong or incomplete answers
- not recognising that someone was disputing a payment
- no clear way to reach a human, even when a bill was due
One person told the CFPB they were sent round in circles by a virtual assistant on the day a credit card payment was due, and expected a late fee because they could not reach anyone to pay. That kind of story is why regulators are watching.
The report also warned that scammers build fake chatbots that look like real companies to steal personal details.
What It Means For You
Quick Steps
- Type "speak to an agent" or "human" in the chat. Many bots pass you on when asked.
- If the bot loops, look for a phone number on your statement, card or the company's official website.
- Only use a chat from the official app or website you went to yourself, never from a link in a text or email.
- Do not type full card numbers, PINs or passwords into any chat.
- Save a copy or screenshot of the chat if it involves money.
UK
If your bank or a financial firm will not sort out a complaint, you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free to use.
Common Questions
Can I insist on speaking to a person?
Ask the chatbot for an agent or a human. If that fails, use the phone number on your card, statement or the company's official website.
Is the chatbot on my bank's app safe?
A chat inside your bank's official app is run by the bank. Be careful with chat windows reached from links in texts or emails, which can be fake.
Why does the bot keep repeating itself?
The CFPB calls this a doom loop. It happens when your problem falls outside what the bot was built to handle. Ask for a human or use another channel.
Who do I complain to about a bank in the USA?
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints online at consumerfinance.gov or on (855) 411-2372.
New to all this? Our free AI Starter Guide walks you through the basics, and you can print it.
Read Next
Sources
Last checked 16 October 2026.
Updated 19 October 2026