Consumer Complaints of the Year

The Consumer Federation of America has released its annual list of the Top Ten most common financial complaints lodged by consumers. How many of these have you been a victim of?

1.       Auto  Misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, lemons, faulty repairs, leasing and towing disputes

2.       Home Improvement/Construction  Shoddy work, failure to start or complete the job

3.       Credit/Debt  Billing and fee disputes, mortgage modifications and mortgage-related fraud, credit repair, debt relief services, predatory lending, illegal or abusive debt collection tactics

4.       (Tie) Retail Sales  False advertising and other deceptive practices, defective merchandise, problems with rebates, coupons, gift cards and gift certificates, failure to deliver

Utilities  Service problems or billing disputes with phone, cable, satellite, Internet, electric and gas service

5.       Services  Misrepresentations, shoddy work, failure to have required licenses, failure to perform.

6.       Landlord/Tenant  Unhealthy or unsafe conditions, failure to make repairs or provide promised amenities, deposit and rent disputes, illegal eviction tactics

7.       Home Solicitations  Misrepresentations or failure to deliver in door-to-door, telemarketing or mail solicitations, do-not-call violations

8.       (Tie) Health Products/Services  Misleading claims; unlicensed practitioners; failure to deliver

Internet Sales Misrepresentations or other deceptive practices, failure to deliver online purchases

9.       Fraud Bogus sweepstakes and lotteries, work-at-home schemes, grant offers, fake check scams, imposter scams and other common frauds

10.   Household Goods Misrepresentations, failure to deliver, faulty repairs in connection with furniture or appliances