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

CFPB complaint data Grade D 1,725 complaints

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. - Debt Collector Complaint Profile

CFPB complaint profile across 48 states, reputation grade D.

Complaints by issue type

What consumers report about Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

Data updated July 2026

D

Grade D · 55.3/100 composite

This collector has a poor complaint record with above-average complaints and below-average response rates.

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

The verdict

A reputation grade of D: Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. ranks ahead of 26% of the 5,283 collectors PlainCollector grades - 74% keep a cleaner CFPB record, on 1,725 all-time complaints and a 100% timely-response rate.

26th pct
reputation rank of 5,283 graded collectors
1,725
CFPB complaints, all-time
100%
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 Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.?

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. has accumulated 1,725 total CFPB complaints across 48 states, with 0 filed in the most recent 12 months against 1,725 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 "Debt is not yours". The company posts a 100% timely-response rate against a 21% consumer-dispute-after-response rate.

Complaints have been recorded across 48 states, led by Florida with 246 and Texas with 225. Normalized against the full CFPB collector database, the reputation score of 55.3/100 places Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. in grade band D.

How to read a complaint count →

Complaint Summary

Total CFPB complaints

1,725

high-volume (CCDB)

Last 12 months

0

0.0% of all-time complaints

Falling ↓

States active

48

multi-region footprint

Timely response rate

100%

excellent band

Consumer disputes

21%

elevated (vertical avg ~19%)

Reputation grade

D

55.3/100 composite

How does Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.'s reputation rank nationally?

Reputation score vs. every graded collector

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

55 26th percentile higher than 26% 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%). This entry sits in this band. 60–70: 1,364 graded collectors (26%). Above this entry. 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

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. versus the debt-collection vertical average.

Timely response within SLA 99.9%
Vertical avg

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

Consumer dispute rate (post-response) 21.2%
Vertical avg

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

State coverage breadth 85.7%

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

How does Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. compare to its peers?

How does Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. compare? Versus a similar-volume peer and the national average, drawn from 10 collectors with a comparable complaint count
Santander Consumer USA… National average
Complaints (last 12 mo)lower is better
0
370
268
Timely-response ratehigher is better
100%
98%
91%
Consumer-dispute ratelower is better
21%
13%
19%

Source: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database.

Complaint Trend (24 months)

2017-09 2025-06

Issue Detail Breakdown

Issue Sub-Issue Complaints
Attempts to collect debt not owed - 664
Written notification about debt - 309
Took or threatened to take negative or legal action - 180
False statements or representation - 149
Communication tactics - 129
Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed - 127
Disclosure verification of debt - 95
Improper contact or sharing of info - 33
Taking/threatening an illegal action - 20
Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly - 19

Where do complaints against Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. come from?

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.'s own per-state count, not a national baseline.

Top states by complaints against Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.

Across 48 states with at least one filing

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

What to do if Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. contacts you

A grade of D signals how Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.'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 Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. 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 Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. 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 Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.? ▼

The most common issue consumers report about Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. is "Attempts to collect debt not owed", specifically "Debt is not yours". This is based on 1,725 complaints filed with the CFPB.

Are complaints against Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. increasing or decreasing? ▼

Complaints against Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. are falling. The company received 0 complaints in the last 12 months, showing improvement over prior periods.

What is Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.'s reputation grade? ▼

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. has a reputation grade of D (score: 55.3/100), PlainCollector's composite letter grade blending complaint volume, response timeliness, dispute rate, and complaint trend.

Does Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. respond to consumer complaints? ▼

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. has a 100% timely response rate to CFPB complaints. Consumers disputed the company's response in 21% of cases.

In how many states does Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. operate? ▼

Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. has received CFPB complaints from consumers in 48 states, with the most complaints from Florida (246 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.