Consumer Complaints, Mostly About Telemarketing, Up 9 Percent

Telemarketers continue to be among the most irksome among Floridians as consumer complaints grew 9 percent in 2011 from the year before.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported that complaints about the Do Not Call list and telemarketing topped the annual top 10 consumer complaint list for the third consecutive year.

Protecting consumers is one of our top priorities, Commissioner Adam Putnam stated in a release. Because an informed consumer is the best defense against fraud and deception, I encourage Floridians to learn about products and businesses before making purchases or entering agreements. Floridians can check the history of a business or file a complaint by calling the department at 1-800 HELP-FLA or visiting our website, www.800HELPFLA.com.

The top 10 consumer complaints received by the department in 2011 are:

1. Do Not Call: 11,769.

2. Telemarketing: 7,983.

3. Communications: 2,730.

4. Real Estate Broker/Salesperson: 1,792.

5. Motor Vehicle Repair: 1,773.

6. Credit/Banking: 1,726.

7. Landlord/Tenant: 1,416.

8. Travel/Vacation Plans: 1,682.

9. Motor Vehicle Sales/Accessories: 1,168.

10. Cable: 898.

Of the 41,961 complaints received by the department, 25,187 were successfully closed or resolved, the department reported.

The departments consumer services team recovered $5,597,163 on behalf of consumers during this time period.

Consumers that believe they were the victim of fraud can call the departments consumer protection and information hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or, for Spanish speakers, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832), or visit www.800HELPFLA.com.