This data comes from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and reflects consumer complaints, not proven violations.

CFPB complaint data Grade C 187 complaints

Great Lakes - Debt Collector Complaint Profile

CFPB complaint profile across 39 states, reputation grade C.

Complaints by issue type

What consumers report about Great Lakes

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

Data updated July 2026

C

Grade C · 61.6/100 composite

This collector has an average complaint record with moderate complaint volumes and typical response rates.

Based on consumer-filed CFPB complaints, not proven violations or a court finding of wrongdoing.

The verdict

A reputation grade of C: Great Lakes ranks ahead of 48% of the 5,283 collectors PlainCollector grades - 52% keep a cleaner CFPB record, on 187 all-time complaints and a 99% timely-response rate.

48th pct
reputation rank of 5,283 graded collectors
187
CFPB complaints, all-time
99%
answered inside the CFPB window
0
in the last 12 months (falling)

Grades are relative: every collector is ranked against the others, so an A reflects a cleaner record than peers, not a clean bill of conduct. A complaint is a consumer filing, not a proven violation.

What do CFPB complaints reveal about Great Lakes?

Great Lakes has accumulated 187 total CFPB complaints across 39 states, with 0 filed in the most recent 12 months against 187 historical complaints before that window. The trailing-12-month volume represents 0.0% of the full complaint history, a falling pattern that implies either tighter collection practices, portfolio sell-offs, or improved dispute handling.

The dominant consumer grievance logged with the CFPB is "Attempts to collect debt not owed", narrowing to "Didn't receive enough information to verify debt". The company posts a 99% timely-response rate against a 9% consumer-dispute-after-response rate.

Complaints have been recorded across 39 states, led by Florida with 22 and California with 18. Normalized against the full CFPB collector database, the reputation score of 61.6/100 places Great Lakes in grade band C.

How to read a complaint count →

Complaint Summary

Total CFPB complaints

187

mid-volume (CCDB)

Last 12 months

0

0.0% of all-time complaints

Falling ↓

States active

39

multi-region footprint

Timely response rate

99%

excellent band

Consumer disputes

9%

low (vertical avg ~19%)

Reputation grade

C

61.6/100 composite

How does Great Lakes's reputation rank nationally?

Reputation score vs. every graded collector

PlainCollector composite reputation score (0–100, higher = cleaner CFPB record)

62 48th percentile higher than 48% of 5,283 graded collectors

0–10: 0 graded collectors (0%). Below this entry. 10–20: 3 graded collectors (0%). Below this entry. 20–30: 29 graded collectors (1%). Below this entry. 30–40: 160 graded collectors (3%). Below this entry. 40–50: 583 graded collectors (11%). Below this entry. 50–60: 1,469 graded collectors (28%). Below this entry. 60–70: 1,364 graded collectors (26%). This entry sits in this band. 70–80: 871 graded collectors (16%). Above this entry. 80–90: 660 graded collectors (12%). Above this entry. 90–100: 144 graded collectors (3%). Above this entry. This collector 0 100 every graded collector, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more graded collectors. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainCollector composite of CFPB Consumer Complaint Database · 2013–2026

Response-quality profile

Great Lakes versus the debt-collection vertical average.

Timely response within SLA 99.5%
Vertical avg

CFPB requires companies to respond within 15 days for most complaints; 60 days for credit-reporting.

Consumer dispute rate (post-response) 9.1%
Vertical avg

Lower is better. The percentage of consumers who flagged the company's response as unsatisfactory.

State coverage breadth 69.6%

Share of US states + territories with at least one filed complaint against this collector.

How does Great Lakes compare to its peers?

How does GREAT LAKES compare? Versus a similar-volume peer and the national average, drawn from 10 collectors with a comparable complaint count
GREAT LAKES National average
Complaints (last 12 mo)lower is better
0
100
268
Timely-response ratehigher is better
99%
98%
91%
Consumer-dispute ratelower is better
9%
0%
19%

Source: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database.

Complaint Trend (24 months)

2024-03 2026-03

Issue Detail Breakdown

Issue Sub-Issue Complaints
Attempts to collect debt not owed - 46
Written notification about debt - 32
False statements or representation - 28
Disclosure verification of debt - 22
Communication tactics - 19
Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed - 18
Took or threatened to take negative or legal action - 6
Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly - 6
Improper contact or sharing of info - 6
Taking/threatening an illegal action - 4

Where do complaints against Great Lakes come from?

Great Lakes's own per-state count, not a national baseline.

Top states by complaints against Great Lakes

Across 39 states with at least one filing

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

What to do if Great Lakes contacts you

A grade of C signals how Great Lakes's CFPB record compares to peers, here is how to act on it.

  • Demand written debt validation within 30 days of first contact, collectors must prove the debt is yours. Validation letter
  • Confirm the caller is really Great Lakes and not an impostor before paying anything. Verify a collector
  • Know your FDCPA rights, you can stop calls and report harassment. Your rights
  • See how Great Lakes ranks against every other collector by complaint record. Browse rankings

Complaint counts and grades reflect the public CFPB record, not a regulator's finding of wrongdoing or legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common complaint against Great Lakes? ▼

The most common issue consumers report about Great Lakes is "Attempts to collect debt not owed", specifically "Didn't receive enough information to verify debt". This is based on 187 complaints filed with the CFPB.

Are complaints against Great Lakes increasing or decreasing? ▼

Complaints against Great Lakes are falling. The company received 0 complaints in the last 12 months, showing improvement over prior periods.

What is Great Lakes's reputation grade? ▼

Great Lakes has a reputation grade of C (score: 61.6/100), PlainCollector's composite letter grade blending complaint volume, response timeliness, dispute rate, and complaint trend.

Does Great Lakes respond to consumer complaints? ▼

Great Lakes has a 99% timely response rate to CFPB complaints. Consumers disputed the company's response in 9% of cases.

In how many states does Great Lakes operate? ▼

Great Lakes has received CFPB complaints from consumers in 39 states, with the most complaints from Florida (22 complaints).

Data sourced from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCollector Editorial

Every figure on PlainCollector is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.