(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced the top 10 consumer complaint categories of 2014.
For the first time, identity theft was among the year’s top 10 complaint categories. Identity theft complaints doubled in 2014 as the office’s consumer Identity Theft Unit completed its second full year in operation.
Overall complaint numbers also increased to approximately 28,000 in 2014, compared to about 26,500 in 2013. Through the Attorney General’s informal dispute resolution process, specialists helped to adjust or recover roughly $2 million for consumers.
The 2014 top 10 consumer complaint categories were:
- Motor vehicles
- Collections, credit reporting, or financial services
- Household goods or property improvement
- Internet, phone, or TV services
- Professional services
- Shopping, food, or beverages
- Do Not Call violations
- Identity theft
- Health and beauty
- Utilities
“We work with individuals one-on-one to resolve a variety of problems, from identity theft to home improvement disputes,” Attorney General DeWine said. “Ohio families work hard for their money, and we want to help ensure that they are treated fairly. Consumer complaints also help us identify and pursue scam artists who prey on the most vulnerable among us.”
Within the top 10 list, identity theft complaints jumped from about 580 in 2013 to over 1,340 in 2014. Attorney General DeWine established the Identity Theft Unit in summer 2012 to help victims rectify the effects of identity theft, such as fraudulently opened accounts or credit report errors that resulted from the theft.
In 2014, the Identity Theft Unit helped victims eliminate approximately $190,000 in fraudulent charges, according to complaint data, and it resolved 35 complaints for minors in foster care, who are particularly vulnerable to this crime.
Consumers who want help resolving a consumer complaint or who have been the victims of identity theft should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or 800-282-0515.
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