PSA: been 4 months, what are my options?

Really hoping someone here has been through this because I'm losing my mind.

I run a small SaaS for real estate agents. Been using Stripe for about 18 months, processing maybe $30-40K/month. Chargeback rate under 0.3% the entire time. Then in June, out of nowhere: "We've identified elevated risk associated with your account." No specifics. They said they'd hold funds for "up to 90 days."

90 days came and went. I've sent probably 15 emails. Every response is copy-paste garbage. It's now been 4 months. They're holding $47K of my money. Had to take out a personal loan to cover expenses.

What actually works here? CFPB? Demand letter? Arbitration? I can't afford a lawyer but I also can't afford to lose $47K.

Just found this through google. Same situation, $18K held 2 months. Sending the demand letter today. Thanks for documenting everything.

Late to this thread but wanted to add some important context for anyone dealing with this in 2025. The CFPB has been ramping up enforcement actions against payment processors over the past year, and Stripe specifically has been on their radar.

In late 2025, the CFPB finalized its rule treating larger payment processors as "larger participants" in the consumer financial services market, meaning they're now subject to direct CFPB supervision. This is a big deal because it means the CFPB can examine Stripe's fund-holding practices proactively, not just respond to individual complaints.

Practical takeaway: filing a CFPB complaint now carries more weight than it did even a year ago. The complaint portal is at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Even if your individual complaint doesn't trigger action, these complaints feed into the CFPB's supervisory priorities. I've had two clients get funds released within a week of the CFPB forwarding their complaint to Stripe.

Also worth noting - several state AGs (California, New York, Illinois) have been coordinating on payment processor oversight. If you're in one of those states, a state AG complaint alongside the CFPB complaint creates pressure from two directions.