In 2019, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office received 111,530 consumer complaints. The Consumer Complaint Unit received 67,964 complaints and the No-Call Unit received 43,566 complaints.
Here are the top 10 consumer complaints:
1. No-Call Complaints – 43,566 complaints were from consumers regarding No-Call violations and illegal telemarketing calls despite being signed up with the Missouri no-call list. Complaints include phone calls to residents by businesses or organizations soliciting the purchase of goods or services.
2. Solicitations/Publications/Subscriptions – 2,171 complaints were from consumers regarding mail and phone solicitations for publications and subscriptions. These complaints generally involve the receipt of mail and phone solicitations regarding sweepstakes, lottery, and other solicitation scams.
3. Financial – 1,503 complaints were from consumers regarding disputes with financial institutions, debt collection companies and credit repair services. Financial complaints involve loan servicing, foreclosures, debt collection, and other products, services, and practices by banks, mortgage companies, debt collectors, and other financial institutions and service providers.
4. Automotive – 1,500 complaints from consumers regarded automobiles, automotive dealers, and automotive repair shops. Automotive complaints often involve failure to deliver titles in a timely manner from the dealership. Other complaints involve shoddy repair work and service issues.
5. Retail/Wholesale – 1,210 complaints from consumers were retail and wholesale companies. Most of the complaints involved purchases made through the internet, telephone, or mail and involved late deliveries or products that were never delivered. Other complaints involved the purchases of appliances, furniture, and other items with warranty problems, that were defective, or that did not work as advertised. Other retail-related complaints included issues with rebates, coupons, and gift cards.
6. Communications/Technology/Online Services – 1,144 complaints from consumers were regarding communications, technology and online services. Many complaints related to telephone cramming and billing practices where consumers received a phone bill for services that they did not order or were charged unauthorized fees on their telephone bill. This also includes billing disputes and misleading promotions.
7. Real Estate and Construction – 1,136 complaints from consumers were regarding home repair, construction, and real estate. These types of complaints involve storm chasers going door-to-door asking for money up front and providing little to no work, contractors who accept upfront fees and do not provide any of the work, shoddy workmanship, and/or fail to honor home warranties.
8. Timeshares/Travel Clubs – 985 complaints from consumers were regarding timeshare exit companies, time share companies and travel clubs. Complaints involved allegations that companies promised to resell timeshares and failed to do so, that companies failed to provide deeds for time shares that consumers purchased, and that companies charged undisclosed fees or unexpectedly and continuously increased fees for maintenance and other related services. Complaints also involved the sale of travel club memberships that promised discounts, opportunities, or services that were worthless or far less than promised.
9. Health – 747 health-related complaints from consumers involved healthcare industry complaints, including billing issues regarding hospitals and doctor visits, supplemental purchases, and disputes regarding health insurance payments.
10. Identity Theft – The 504 complaints from consumers regarding Identity include when someone takes your personal information such as your Social Security number, date of birth, credit card number, or bank account information and uses it to commit fraud, then you can become a victim of identity theft.
If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, contact our law office at 816-524-4949 or www.Hoorfarlaw.com