Illlinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has released a list of the Top 10 Consumer Complaints by industry in the State of Illinois. It's Consumer Product Safety Week and the list is being released as the kick off of a weeklong campaign to raise awareness regarding consumer safety and highlighting the things that Illinois consumers would like to see improved upon.
Top 10 Breakdown
Raoul’s annual Top 10 list of consumer complaints ranks every complaint his office receives on a range of topics. The Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Bureau saved consumers more than $30 million through litigation and mediation in 2019. In addition to home repair and remodeling and used vehicle sales, complaints about consumer debt, such as mortgage loans, debt collection and complaints related to bank accounts and other banking services topped the list.
CATEGORY
NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS
Construction/Home Improvement (remodeling, roofs and gutters, heating and cooling, plumbing)
2,001
Motor Vehicle/Used Auto Sales (as-is used cars, financing, advertising, warranties)
1,767
Consumer Debt (residential mortgage lending, banks/financial institutions, collection agencies)
1,602
Identity Theft (credit cards, data breaches, utilities, government document fraud)
1,524
Telecommunications (cable and satellite TV, telemarketing, cell phones, phone service and repairs)
1,345
Promotions/Schemes (phone scams, lottery scams, investment schemes, phishing)
1,297
Internet/Mail Order Products (internet and catalog purchases, TV and radio advertising)
937
Education (student loan debt, for profit schools)
888
Motor Vehicle/Non-Warranty Repair (collision, engines, oil changes and tune-ups)
725
Motor Vehicle/New Auto Sales (financing, defects, advertising)
704
For more information, visit Raoul’s website or contact his office about consumer fraud issues.
Identity Theft Unit
1-866-999-5630 (TTY: 1-877-844-5461)
Student Loan Helpline
1-800-455-2456
Consumer Fraud Hotlines
1-800-386-5438 (Chicago), 1-800-243-0618 (Springfield) or 1-800-243-0607 (Carbondale)
Homeowner Helpline
1-866-544-7151
Spanish Language Hotline
1-866-310-8398
