Attorney General's News Release

December 27, 2005

Top consumer complaint to Attorney General's Office in 2005 has a familiar ring

Jefferson City, Mo. — For the third consecutive year, telephone-related issues topped the list of consumer complaints in 2005 to Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon. The complaints about telephone issues included billing problems, unauthorized service charges and the switching of long-distance providers without the consumer's consent — commonly known as "cramming and slamming."

Nixon's Consumer Protection Division received 88,993 consumer complaint calls, letters and e-mails in 2005. Telephone billing, cramming and slamming complaints accounted for 1,428 of that total. Unsolicited faxes, with 1,265 complaints, and home repair and remodeling scams, at 1,153, also continued to be major areas of concern for consumers in Missouri, Nixon said.

"We want to continue to get the message out that consumers in Missouri should contact my office if they have a problem with the sale of goods or services that they're not able to resolve on their own," Nixon said. "Whether it's through mediating a dispute or taking legal action if it becomes necessary, we'll continue to stick up for Missouri consumers."

Consumers can contact the Consumer Protection Division through the toll-free hotline at 1-800-392-8222 or they can download a complaint form at www.ago.mo.gov.

The complete top 10 list of consumer complaint categories to Nixon's office in 2005 are:

1. Telephone slamming, cramming and billing: 1,428 complaints
2. Unsolicited faxes: 1,265
3. Home repair and remodeling: 1,153
4. Financing: 1,015
5. Travel scams and time shares: 974
6. Automotive repair and warranty: 883
7. Auto sales, odometer, title and towing: 881
8. Gasoline prices: 865
9. Credit: 746
10. Debt collectors: 613

Compare past lists of top 10 complaints.

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Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818