Michigan's Attorney General Bill Schuette has released the annual list of top ten Michigan consumer complaints.
“This is a significant milestone for the National Consumer Protection Week and a great time to remind Michigan citizens about programs available to protect consumers,” said Schuette. “From teaching students how to be safe online to bringing actions against unscrupulous companies and prosecuting elder financial exploitation, the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection team is working every day for Michigan consumers.”
The Top Ten List is put together by analyzing over 10,000 written complaints filed with the Attorney General's office in 2017, specifically the Consumer Protection team. They make the list to educate consumers about potential scams and problems to avoid. This team recovered more than $26 million in consumer refunds, forgiven debts, and State recoveries last year.
Credit and financial concerns topped the list. Many of these concerns were from the Equifax security breach.
Here's the top ten list:
1. Credit and Financial Concerns: The top complaint category for 2017 holds on to the spot that it has had since 2006, generating 1,788 complaints in a variety of areas including debt collection and reporting, credit repair, payday lending, and mortgage brokering. Schuette’s Consumer Alert on the Equifax Breach and the differences between a Credit Freeze; Fraud Alert; & Credit Monitoring provide helpful guidance for those struggling with fallout from the Equifax breach while the Consumer Alert of Debt Collection and Debt Collection Scams details prohibited debt collector practices and provides tips on avoiding scams and disputing bogus debts.
2. Personal Service Providers: Jumped last year from number six to the second highest slot with 1,047 complaints. This jump is directly attributable to the large number of complaints against western Michigan-based gym chain Family Fitness sued by Attorney General Schuette in September. Complaints in this category additionally range from dating services and beauty shops to home security, and tax preparation services.
3. Telecommunications, Cable, and Satellite TV: Drops to the third spot this year. This category includes complaints involving issues like robocalls, telemarketing, wireless communications, and cable and satellite TV services. Complaints in these categories were up 200, nearing 900 in 2017.
4. Motor Vehicle and Automobiles: Dropping down a spot to number four in 2017, disputes with used car dealers continue to top this category, with other top complaints involving motor vehicles and car bodies, new car dealers, and repair shops.
5. Internet: Staying at the fifth slot for a third year, complaints in this computer-based category numbered more than 740. More than a third of these complaints involved online purchases while other complaints include computer communication services and issues with internet service providers.
6. Retail: Also not moving this year, retail complaints stay at the number six slot and include complaints about general merchandise, food, and furniture stores, business services, and eating and drinking places.
7. Contractors: Moving up a spot from last year's list, are complaints about residential building construction services, landscaping services, plumbing, heating, and air condition services, and special trade contractors.
8. Landlord and Tenant: Dropping down to number eight, this category had more than 400 complaints. A majority of the complaints in this category involved apartment owners and managers.
9. Health Service Providers: Staying at the number nine spot, this category’s total complaints increased by more than 100 from 300+ to more than 400 complaints about different health service providers like doctors, dentists, hospitals, and medical clinics.
10. Gasoline, Fuel, and Energy: Not surprising with this year’s continued lower gas prices, this category remains at the number ten spot, with complaints against gasoline service stations and gas and electric services dominating this category.
AG Schuette took the opportunity to release this list along with hosting educational seminars about scams and not becoming a victim.
There are six free, 45-minute seminars on: Identity Theft; Phone, Mail & e-Scams; Online Safety; Investment Fraud; Home Repair and Improvement; and In-Home Care & Senior Residences.
This week: Two free seminars on phone, mail, and e-scams:
Lansing: Thursday, March 8, 2017 from 12:05 to 12:50 p.m.
• Mennen Williams Auditorium; 525 West Ottawa Street
Detroit: Friday, March 9, 2016, from 12:05 to 12:50 p.m.
• Cadillac Place – Room L150; 3068 West Grand Blvd
And later in March, the Department will host two free seminars on home repair and improvement scams:
Lansing: Thursday, March 29, 2017 from 12:05 to 12:50 p.m.
• Mennen Williams Auditorium; 525 West Ottawa Street
Detroit: Friday, March 30, 2016, from 12:05 to 12:50 p.m.
• Cadillac Place – Room L150; 3068 West Grand Blvd
