New list: The biggest consumer complaints of 2017

Auto issues topped a new survey of top consumer complaints across the country in 2017, according to the Consumer Federation of America (CFA).

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CFA: These were the biggest consumer complaints of 2017

Working with nearly four dozen state and local consumer agencies, the CFA determined these were the Top 10 consumer complaints last year:

1. Auto – false advertising, faulty repairs, leasing and towing problems and more
2. Home improvement & construction – Poor work, taking your money and not doing the work or not completing work that was begun, etc.
3. Retail sales – false advertising, rebate problems, gift card issues and more
4. Credit/Debt – Problems with credit repair, debt relief services, bill disputes, mortgage modification and mortgage-related fraud, among other issues
5. Landlord/Tenant – Unsafe housing, failure to make repairs, illegal eviction tactics and more
6. Services – Poor work, licensing issues, etc.
7. Communications – Phone/internet bill disputes and fake offers, among other issues
8. Health products & services – False claims, licensing issues, billing problems and more
9. Household goods – Failure to deliver, defective merchandise, faulty repairs, etc.
10. (Tie) Home solicitations; Internet sales; Travel – All involving misrepresentations, failure to deliver, billing problems and other issues

Here at Team Clark, we make free off-air advice available to you 45 hours a week from a team of volunteers in our Consumer Action Center (CAC) who are trained to help you with problems just like these.

Through the work the CAC does, we have our own list of top consumer complaints stretching all the way back to July 2016:

1. Credit agencies
2. Investing
3. Auto
4. Customer service
5. Scams/frauds
6. Travel
7. Mortgage
8. Legal
9. Banking
10. Debt
11. Credit cards

In fact, it’s interesting to note how much overlap there is between the CFA’s list and our own internal list here at Team Clark. Problem areas that made both lists include credit agencies, auto, scams/frauds, travel, mortgage, debt and credit cards.

Meanwhile, bringing in a third perspective, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its own tally of top 2017 consumer issues earlier this year:

1. Credit reporting and repair
2. Debt collection
3. Mortgage
4. Credit card or prepaid card
5. Bank, checking or savings account
6. Student loan
7. Personal loan or payday loan
8. Money transfer or virtual currency

When you look at the topics that appear on all three lists, you see convergence around four main areas — mortgage, credit, debt and credit reporting. But remember, no matter what kind of issue you’re facing, we can offer free advice to get you on the right track!

Got a consumer question? Contact Clark’s Consumer Action Center — a FREE help line open Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m. ‘ 7 p.m and Friday from 10 a.m. ‘ 4 p.m. EST with volunteers available to answer YOUR concerns! Call Team Clark @ 404-892-8227.