How to File a Consumer Complaint in Saudi Arabia Online

If you're stuck with a defective product, a merchant who won't refund you, or a service that never arrived, you don't need to visit any office. The Saudi government runs several free online channels for consumer disputes, and most are resolved within days.

Quick answer

To file a consumer complaint in Saudi Arabia online, use the Ministry of Commerce's "Balagh Tijari" platform or the Maroof portal — both free, both in Arabic and English. You can also call 1900. For telecom and internet issues, use CITC (Communications, Space & Technology Commission). For banking, start with the bank's complaint unit, then escalate to SAMA (Saudi Central Bank) via "Sama Cares." Most complaints get a first response within 5 working days. Keep your invoice, product photos, and any WhatsApp chat with the seller — you'll upload them during filing.

Where to file, depending on the issue

The Ministry of Commerce handles the biggest bucket: faulty goods, misleading ads, warranty refusals, price manipulation, and dodgy merchants (physical or online). File through Balagh Tijari at balagh.mc.gov.sa, or via the Ministry's app, or by calling 1900.^[1]

For purchases from Saudi online stores specifically, the Maroof platform (maroof.sa) lets you rate the merchant and submit a dispute — this is useful because Maroof ratings pressure sellers to respond fast.^[2]

Other regulators own their own lanes:

• CITC (citc.gov.sa) — mobile, internet, landline, delivery of SIMs, billing disputes with STC/Mobily/Zain.^[3]
• SAMA via Sama Cares (samacares.sa) — banks, finance companies, insurance, and payment services.^[4]
• Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) — food safety, cosmetics, medical devices (sfda.gov.sa).

Filing in the wrong channel isn't fatal, but it adds a week while your complaint gets forwarded. Pick right the first time.

The actual steps on Balagh Tijari

Here's what filing a consumer complaint saudi arabia online looks like on the Ministry of Commerce platform, which handles the majority of retail disputes:

1. Go to balagh.mc.gov.sa and log in with your Absher or Nafath credentials. No Saudi ID? You can register as a visitor with your Iqama or passport.
2. Choose the complaint category — "commercial fraud," "consumer protection," "e-commerce," or "pricing."
3. Enter the merchant's commercial registration (CR) number if you have it. If not, the name and location work.
4. Describe the issue in plain language. Arabic or English both accepted.
5. Upload evidence: invoice, product photos, screenshots of the ad or chat, bank transfer proof.
6. Submit. You'll get a reference number by SMS.

The Ministry's published service standard is a response within 5 working days, with resolution targeted at 15 working days for standard cases.^[1] Complex fraud files take longer — sometimes months — because they move into inspection and possibly criminal referral under the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law (Royal Decree M/19 of 1429H) and the E-Commerce Law (Royal Decree M/126 of 1440H).^[5][6]

Watch out: If you accept a partial refund or "store credit" offer through the platform, the file closes. You can't reopen it for the same transaction. Read the settlement terms before clicking accept.

What your rights actually cover

The Consumer Protection framework and the E-Commerce Law give you concrete entitlements, not vague promises:

• Refund or replacement for defective goods within the warranty period, and a mandatory 7-day cooling-off for most online purchases under Art. 13 of the E-Commerce Law Implementing Regulations.^[6]
• Clear pricing in SAR including VAT (15%). Hidden fees are a violation.
• Arabic-language contracts and invoices for consumer transactions.
• Delivery within the promised window — otherwise you can cancel and demand a refund to the original payment method within 15 days.

If the merchant ignores the Ministry's decision, enforcement moves to the Public Prosecution or civil execution courts. Fines under the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law reach SAR 1 million and can include business closure.^[5]

Most people get this wrong: a consumer complaint isn't a lawsuit. It's an administrative process. If you want financial compensation beyond a refund — say, damages for a product that caused injury — you'll need to file separately in the Commercial Court or General Court, depending on the amount and parties.

When the online route doesn't work

Sometimes the complaint stalls. The merchant doesn't respond, the file sits "under review" for weeks, or you get a decision you disagree with.

Your options:

• Escalate within the same platform. Balagh Tijari has an "object to decision" button; use it within 10 days of the ruling.
• File with a different regulator if the issue overlaps — e.g., a bank payment dispute can go to both the merchant's regulator and SAMA.
• Small claims via the Commercial Court for amounts under SAR 100,000, where you can represent yourself and file electronically through the Najiz portal (najiz.sa).
• Hire a lawyer if the amount is substantial or the merchant is defending aggressively.

For related guidance, see our overview on consumer protection in Saudi Arabia and the broader guide to filing complaints with Saudi regulators.

One last thing. Keep every receipt and every message. The Ministry doesn't chase evidence for you — if your file is thin, your complaint dies quietly.