The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is out with its top ten list of complaints received in 2011. For the ninth year in a row, violations of the state’s Do Not Call list were the top complaint received by the state.
Of the nearly 1,700 cases reported, Division of Consumer Protection administrator Sandy Chalmers says robo-calls were the worst offenders. Chalmers says many of those reported were tied to criminal activity, which is made possible by technology that allows scammers to make thousands of calls each minute.
Consumers are urged to hang up and report those calls to the state.
Second on the list was telecommunications complaints, followed by landlord-tenant disputes and home improvement scams.
For the first time last year, complaints about identity theft made their way into the top ten. Chalmers says it’s an old crime, but the way thieves are going after that information continues to expand.
Aside from shredding sensitive documents with personal information on them, she says consumers should make sure computers, smartphones, and online accounts have strong password protections. Regular checks for computer viruses and spyware are also recommended.
Other top complaints for 2011 included gas pump accuracy, vehicle sales, and problems with satellite dish providers.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:18)