What was the most common consumer complaint filed with my office last year?

If you guessed buying a used car, you would be right. This marks the second straight year used car sales led the complaint list. While most other complaint categories closely mirrored the 2004 list, identity theft joined the 2005 list at No. 14.

These complaints are important because they provide a basis for litigation and a way to track scams across the state that can affect many others. We often send out consumer advisories based on the most frequent complaints submitted to the office.

This list represents complaints made by individuals who believe they are victims of consumer fraud. The Consumer Information and Complaints staff reviews each complaint and provides an opportunity for the business to voluntarily resolve the complaint. If the complaint is not resolved, it is reviewed for further action by the office. Consumers are encouraged to file their complaints with the Attorney General's Office along with any documentation to support the complaint (e.g., a copy of a contract, phone records, or names and addresses of individuals involved). Complaints can be filed online or by mail.

The complaint process usually takes from two to eight weeks, but it can take longer depending on the scope of the case and the time it takes a company to respond. Many times, complaints are resolved with the first contact by our office.

When a consumer feels he or she has been "ripped off," it does not necessarily mean that the business or individuals involved have engaged in unlawful activity that is within the Attorney General's jurisdiction. Nor do we have the resources to investigate every complaint. The Attorney General's Office is prohibited by law from representing individual consumers and has to restrict its legal actions to those cases which involve the greatest harm to the public and will have the greatest deterrent effect on fraudulent behavior. But every complaint filed helps determine whether a particular episode represents a pattern of fraudulent conduct.

The top 15 consumer complaints filed in 2005:

1. Motor Vehicle (used vehicle sales)
2. Business Opportunities
3. Auctions - eBay
4. Services (e.g., florists, nanny services, taxis, talent gents)
   5. Collection Services
   6. Motor Vehicle (repairs)
   7. Telemarketing Fraud
   8. Phone Service (cellular)
   9. Motor Vehicle (new vehicle sales)
   10. Prize Notification (by mail)
   11. Credit (credit card/billing disputes)
   12. Advertising
   13. Predatory Lending
   14. Identity Theft
   15. Magazines/Newspapers

To file a complaint with the Attorney General's office, please visit our Web site at www.azag.gov or contact the Consumer Information and Complaints Office in Phoenix at 602 542-5763, in Tucson at 520 628-6504 or outside
Maricopa and Pima Counties at 1-800-352-8431.

Terry Goddard