AG Letitia James ranks top consumer complaints for 2022

New Yorkers reported price gouging, retail fraud and issues with rent and credit card debt as some of the top consumer complaints made last year, according to a list released Tuesday by Attorney General Letitia James.

James marked National Consumer Protection Week by ranking the top 10 consumer complaints of 2022. Complaints included gouging the price of infant formula and children’s medication, fees for flight cancellations and inflated gas prices.

“From predatory debt collection to price gouging, scammers tried to take advantage of consumers for personal gain, and we took appropriate action to stop it,” James said in a statement.

The attorney general’s office received 5,240 complaints last year concerning retail and online purchasing, including defective merchandise, poor customer service and problems with pet stores and animal breeders.

State officials warned customers to be aware of fake websites with pictures of well-known brands and hard-to-find merchandise for sale. Shoppers should only use websites that appear to be legitimate and should use credit cards instead of digital money transfers, the office said.

"If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is," state officials said.

Customers are encouraged to report high prices for infant formula, children’s medication or other essential items to the attorney general's office.

After retail sales, the second leading complaint category related to tenant disputes involving landlords withholding security deposits and evictions, followed by complaints about debt collection, credit card billing, payday loans and identity theft.

Landlords are required to return security deposits within 14 days of tenants moving out and must provide an itemized list of deductions, attorney general officials said. 

The attorney general's office also has seen an uptick in lawsuits for "zombie second mortgages," where the homeowner has not made a payment or heard anything about the mortgage for years. Mortgage companies generally only collect on the last six years of missed mortgage payments, officials said. Seeking to collect beyond that may be illegal.

More than 2,800 people complained about debt collection and identity theft along with scams involving credit repair offers, mortgage lending and loan modification.

Nearly as many people complained about COVID-19 testing facilities and companies such as alarm services, dry cleaners, movers and storage facilities.

Other complaints were related to auto sales and repairs, internet and data privacy and security and reports of online fraud and manipulation.

The attorney general's consumer fraud bureau also monitors COVID-19 rapid test results that are delivered later than promised.

Doctors are also not allowed to bill patients more than the in-network copayment, coinsurance or deductible costs for certain “surprise” out-of-network bills for emergency care.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.