LANSING, Mich. — People in Michigan file the most consumer complains about credit, cable and cell phone issues, and shopping disputes.
Those complain categories top the Michigan attorney general’s annual list of Top 10 Consumer Complaint Categories, released Tuesday. The list is released annually as part of National Consumer Protection Week, now in its 15th year.
Consumer complaints are just one of the many issues the office of Attorney General Bill Schuette deals with on a daily basis. Consumers can file complaints online.
Top 10 Consumer Complaint Categories of 2012
- Credit and Financial Concerns: The top complaint category of 2011 maintained its position as the leading category in 2012, generating more than 2,000 consumer complaints in areas ranging from debt collection and credit repair to payday lending and mortgage brokering.
- Telecommunications and Cable or Satellite TV: This category also maintained its 2011 position. It includes technology-related complaints concerning issues like telemarketing, cellular communication, and cable and satellite TV services.
- Retail: The retail category also ranked number three in 2011. It includes complaints about merchandise quality, as well as warranty and pricing disputes.
- Internet: Moving up a spot from its 2011 position, complaints in this computer-based category include internet service provider issues, online auction disputes, and fraudulent e-mail solicitations.
- Motor Vehicle or Automobile: Also up one spot since 2011, this category includes used car dealer disputes, automotive repair service complaints, and lemon law violations.
- Personal Service Providers: Up from its number eight position in 2011, this category includes complaints leveled against personal service providers ranging from dating services and beauty shops to home security and health and fitness organizations.
- Service Providers for Small Businesses: Absent from the list in 2011, this category generated over 400 complaints in 2012 related to services provided to small business, including publishing and advertising.
- Mail Order: Sweepstakes disputes, including lottery and fraudulent check scams that aggressively target seniors, and delivery failure complaints make up this category, which also moved up one spot from its position last year.
- Gasoline/Fuel/Energy: Complaints over gas and utility service prices are common in this category.
- Contractors: Rounding out the Top Ten is a category of complaints over contractor service disputes, home improvement concerns, and warranty issues. It also held the final spot on last year’s list.
