The list represents the ten most complained about consumer problems as compiled from more than 25,000 written complaints received by the Attorney General’s office.  In addition to written complaints, the Consumer Protection Division fielded over 110,000 phone calls last year.

            “Identity theft is real and people need to take aggressive steps to protect themselves, their name and their credit,” Cox said.  “The rapid rise in this area of criminal activity should cause alarm for everyone surfing the Internet, buying gas with their credit card or simply taking a few dollars out of an ATM.  Identity theft is nothing less than an invisible mugging that can have a devastating impact on your bank accounts and credit report.”

The top ten consumer complaints of 2002 are as follows:

1. Banking & Credit Concerns: Includes identity theft, billing disputes, unauthorized credit cards and finance charges.

2. Internet Complaints: Includes privacy issues, failure to refund merchandise, failure to deliver merchandise and online auctions.

3. Telecommunication Complaints: Includes do not call complaints, cramming (unauthorized charges), and billing disputes.

4. Energy Complaints: Includes complaints related to increases in natural gas and propane costs, unresolved refund requests, misrepresentation of contractual issues, and billing disputes.

5. Retail Complaints: Includes scanner or pricing errors, unresolved refund requests, deceptive advertising, and quality of merchandise complaints.

6. Automobile Complaints: Includes lemon law violations, advertising, and quality issues.

7. Mail Order Complaints: Includes failure to deliver merchandise, failure to refund, unsolicited merchandise, and quality of merchandise.

8. Contractor Complaints: Includes quality of work performed, warranty of workmanship, and failure to deliver services.

9. Multi Level Marketing & Business Opportunity: Includes complaints regarding multi level selling organizations, and the sale of vending machine and similar business opportunities.

10. Cable TV & Satellite TV Services: Includes complaints regarding quality of service, failure to deliver services, and billing disputes.

1. Report the theft to the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus and ask that a “fraud alert” be placed on your file and that no new credit be granted without your approval.

   Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

   Experian: 1-888-397-3742

   Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289

2. Close accounts that have been fraudulently accessed or opened, and put passwords (not mother’s maiden name or SSN) on any new accounts.

3. File a report with local police and get the report number or copy of the report for your files.

4. Call the FTC’s ID Theft Clearinghouse toll free at 1-877-ID-THEFT. (Those living in residential care or assisted living should also contact the Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division at 517-241-6525.)

            To file a consumer protection complaint, Michigan residents can visit the Attorney General's website (www.michigan.gov/ag) or mail a letter explaining the problem to: Michigan Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, PO Box 30213, Lansing, MI 48909.