Public Enquiries

If you want to submit a complaint about a bank or credit card company, this is where you can do so. The Public Enquiries Unit of the Banking Supervision Department is an objective and neutral authorized entity. Our team comprises lawyers, economists, and accountants, who are very familiar with the banking sector and provide services for the general public.

We thoroughly investigate all enquiries and complaints submitted to us based on legal criteria. If the complaint is found to be justified, we demand that the bank or credit card company correct the deficiency, and we have the authority to enforce that.

Please note: While banks and credit card companies are required to fulfill the unit's decisions, the one who petitioned (that is, the customer) is not bound by those decisions. If the results of the investigation are not satisfactory, you are able to take the claim to court.

• Receiving complaints from customers of banks and credit card companies, resolving disputes, and instructing banks and credit card companies on correcting deficiencies found during the investigation.
• Providing information in writing and answering questions from the public regarding banking and banking-consumer issues.
• Using information from public enquiries to identify systematic deficiencies in the Israeli banking system and to solve them.

Issues under our authority

The Public Enquiries Unit is authorized to investigate all issues related to dealings of customers with banks and credit card companies, including:

• Managing current accounts
• Checks
• Credit cards         
• Deposits
• Foreign currency
• Fees
• Loans
• Mortgages

• Complaints about the Postal Bank (please turn instead to the Israel Postal Company or the Ministry of Communication)
• Complaints about insurance companies, provident funds, and pension funds (please turn instead to the Commissioner of Capital Markets, Insurance, and Savings at the Ministry of Finance)
• Complaints about withholding taxes (please turn instead to the taxes authorities)
• Complaints about securities investment consulting (please turn instead to the Israel Securities Authority)
• Information about accounts of deceased owners (please turn instead to The banks head offices, and present a succession order or confirmation of will order to them)

The Public Enquiries Unit provides those submitting an enquiry, pursuant to their request, with information on banking and  on banking-consumer issues. The process of turning to us is simple and straightforward—but before turning to us, we recommend looking over consumer guides on the Bank of Israel website (currently only in Hebrew), which have a range of information that can save you time. 

The Public Enquiries Unit also investigates customer complaints regarding problems in their dealings with banks and credit card companies. As a general rule, we recommend first turning directly to the head office of the bank or the credit card company, and trying to resolve the differences of opinion directly with them. This can save a lot of time, and can lead to satisfactory results. If the problem is not resolved, send us the complaint for investigation.

For a list of addresses of head offices of banking corporations in Israel to whom you can turn.

For locating banks branches.

It is important to note: Turning to the Public Enquiries Unit does not involve any payment, and the applicant does not need to be accompanied by a lawyer. With that, if you want you can turn to us via a representative, even one who is not a lawyer or accountant, as long as you give them Power of Attorney.

How to submit an enquiry

• Mail: PO Box 780, Jerusalem, 91007
• Telephone: 02-655-2680
• Fax: 02-666-9077
• Internet: Click here for an enquiry submission form(in Hebrew). 

A complaint should include the following information:

• Full name, address, and telephone number
• Name of bank or credit card company that is the subject of the complaint
• A description of the events—as detailed as possible (include names, dates, and documentation)
• Any additional information that can clarify the issue

The process of dealing with the complaint which is submitted to the Public Enquiries Unit is carried out through written contact between us and the relevant bank (or credit card company), and between us and the complainant. The complaint letter should include most of the relevant details, since we will pass it on to the bank, and the letter will serve as the basis for the investigation.

Generally, we turn to the bank in order to receive its response and relevant documents, and sometimes we also turn to the complainant in order to receive additional information and documents. When the investigation process is completed, we send the complainant a position letter from the Banking Supervision Department, in which the results of the investigation and relevant explanations are detailed.

Results of an investigation

• If the complaint is found to be justified, we send the bank (or the credit card company) a letter which presents the Bank of Israel's position on the matter, with a request to correct the deficiency. This may be in the form of returning funds, or an instruction to take a specific step or to avoid a specific action.
• If the complaint is found to be unjustified, we will explain the reason for the decision to the complainant in writing.

It is important to note: In certain cases, we cannot determine a complaint. For example, cases related to a disagreement which was arbitrated, or is currently in arbitration in a court; if other parties need to be heard in order to resolve the complaint; and complaints based primarily on unwritten exchanges of which the two sides offer contradictory versions.

In these cases as well, we will send the complainant a letter which clarifies the issue, and of course here too the complainant has the right to turn to a court.

Contact:

For any enquiry to the Bank of Israel regarding handicapped people, please contact:pz@boi.org.il