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Home Improvement Tops New Jersey List Of Consumer Complaints

By Jim Donovan: Just in time for National Consumer Protection Week, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs has released a Top 10 list of consumer complaint categories from 2014.

The Office of Consumer Protection, within the Division of Consumer Affairs, received a total of approximately 10,000 formal complaints from New Jersey consumers last year. This is a separate count from the 71,122 calls last year to the Division's Consumer Service Center hotline, many of which are resolved through various forms of mediation or are referred to other appropriate agencies.

As is often the case year after year, the categories of "Home Improvement" at #1 and "Motor Vehicles" (which includes auto sales, auto repairs, and related matters) at #2 dominated 2014's top 10 complaints list. The "Professional Services" category, which includes complaints about physicians, lawyers, accountants, medical labs, and other professions or businesses, was #3.

Last year also saw a new addition to the top 10 list: "Energy Marketers," representing consumer complaints about third-party energy suppliers. In June 2014, in response to an unprecedented number of complaints, the Division of Consumer Affairs and New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) filed court actions against three third-party energy suppliers that, among other things, allegedly failed to deliver on the monthly savings that were represented or guaranteed to consumers. One of the companies, HIKO Energy LLC, agreed to pay $2.1 million, including $1.85 million in consumer restitution, to resolve the State's complaint. The other two lawsuits are pending.

The complete Top 10 consumer complaint categories list for 2014 is as follows:

#1 Home Improvement Contractors
#2 Motor Vehicles
#3 Professional Services
#4 Energy Marketers
#5 Banks/Financial Institutions
#6 Health Clubs
#7 Miscellaneous Scams
#8 Internet Sales
#9 Debt Collection
#10 Wireless Phones

Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of marketplace abuse, can file a complaint with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.

National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is a coordinated campaign that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and make better-informed decisions. NCPW 2015 will take place March 1 through March 7 2015. Additional information is available at www.NCPW.gov.

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