The law also generally bars discrimination because you receive public assistance income, or because you exercise your rights under certain federal credit laws (such as filing a billing dispute with a card issuer).

This protection means that a card issuer may not use any of the above grounds as a reason to do the following:

• discourage you from applying for a card
• refuse you a card if you qualify
• provide you credit on terms different from those granted another person with similar income, credit history, and other characteristics
• close an existing account

Card issuers may not discriminate on the basis of national origin, but if you are a resident alien, they are allowed to consider your immigration status when making a loan decision. In particular, a card issuer can consider immigration status and any additional information that may be necessary to determine its rights and remedies regarding repayment.

Submit a complaint with the CFPB

If you believe a lender has discriminated against you for any reason, you can submit a complaint with the CFPB online or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372). You’ll need the dates, amounts, and other details about your complaint before submitting. We’ll provide you a way to monitor the status and progress of your complaint.