By Staff
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has announced the top 10 consumer complaint categories for 2007.
Along with announcing the top complaints, Cox has included tips to help keep consumers from being in situations where fraud and deception takes their hard earned money.
We encourage consumers to take heed of these tips and hopefully 2008 will have less victims of those who would take their money and their identities.
These five tips, Cox believes should be on everyone's New Year resolution:
1. Safeguard your personal information. Never give out your credit card, bank account, driver's license or Social Security numbers to someone who contacts you by phone or e-mail. To optout of offers, go to www.optoutsprescreen.com or call 1- (888) 5678-8688 (5OPTOUT).
2. You did not win anything! Never send money to collect prizes. If you really won, you would never be required to pay money. Do not deposit a check and withdraw money you are asked to forward.The check will bounce and you will have to pay the bank back.
3. Order free credit reports. Review you credit reports often. To obtain a free annual credit report, go to www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1 (877) 322-8228.
4. Get everything in writing. Know also most contracts do not have a three-day cancellation provision.
5. Do not fall for a "one day only" offer. Take time to check things out.
If consumers followed these five basic principles, many of the top 10 consumer complaints would be eliminated.
The top 10 complains for 2007 were about:
1. Credit and financial concerns including identify theft.
2. Telecommunications, cable and satellite TV.
3. Internet purchases and auctions and junk mail.
4. Retail problems.
5. Motor vehicles.
6. Gasoline/fuel/energy.
7. Mail order.
8. Business opportunities, such as work at home offers.
9. Small business providers.
10. Personal service providers.
Cox's Consumer Protection staff also publishes alerts at www.michigan.gov/consumeralerts to help consumers recognize rip-offs.