‘The painful actuality is simply too many companies are chopping corners, placing unfair burdens on shoppers, and interesting in misleading practices’
NEWS RELEASE
OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL
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DENVER, Colo. – Lawyer Common Phil Weiser kicked off Nationwide Client Safety Week right now by revealing the highest 10 complaints reported to the Colorado Division of Regulation in 2023, which included shopper points with retail providers, skilled providers, and car gross sales and repair.
In complete, Colorado shoppers filed 20,390 complaints final 12 months, topping 20,000 complaints for the primary time. The whole variety of complaints rose 14 per cent from 2022.
“The painful actuality is simply too many companies are chopping corners, placing unfair burdens on shoppers, and interesting in misleading practices,” stated Weiser. “Fortunately, shoppers are more and more conscious that we’re there for them, and they’re reporting issues to us. Complaints filed by shoppers don’t simply assist us resolve particular person shopper points the place we are able to accomplish that, however in addition they assist us shield different shoppers by informing our enforcement efforts to carry unhealthy actors accountable.”
Yearly, the division companions with the Federal Commerce Fee throughout Nationwide Client Safety Week to coach shoppers about their rights as shoppers, the best way to keep away from scams and fraud, and to spotlight the significance of submitting complaints.
The highest 10 sorts of complaints and inquiries obtained in 2023 are:
- 1. Retail gross sales 1,676
- 2. Skilled providers 1,076
- 3. Auto gross sales and repair 986
- 4. House providers and restore 973
- 5. Imposter scams 808
- 6. Client loans and credit score gross sales 655
- 7. Well being care 630
- 8. Debt assortment 627
- 9. Telecommunications 582
- 10. Actual property gross sales and providers 520
Client safety actions taken in 2023
- In 2023, the legal professional normal introduced a number of main actions to guard shoppers via settlements and different agreements that required companies to alter their practices and put a refund in folks’s pockets, together with:
- A $1 million settlement with Wyatt’s towing to return cash to shoppers and finish the corporate’s unfair, misleading practices after an investigation discovered it illegally towed automobiles and deceived shoppers about their rights.
- Main a lawsuit in opposition to social media large Meta over harms they brought about to kids, and resolving a lawsuit in opposition to Google over how their abusive app retailer practices that resulted in a $700 million nationwide settlement.
- A nationwide settlement with e-cigarette producer Juul, beneath which Colorado would obtain over $31 million for the corporate’s unlawful advertising of nicotine merchandise to youth.
- Extra settlements with opioid producers and corporations related to the opioid disaster added to the now greater than $750 million secured for Colorado to battle the epidemic.
- $130 million in debt reduction from the U.S. Division of Schooling for Colorado scholar mortgage debtors who attended CollegeAmerica and had been harmed by the for-profit school’s misleading advertising techniques.
- A settlement with parking firm PRRS that illegally charged and picked up on fines for shoppers who typically didn’t even park of their tons.
- The Division of Regulation issued guidelines governing and commenced enforcement of the Colorado Privateness Act, a brand new information privateness regulation that went into impact in 2023.
- Settlements with native credit score unions and finance firms working in Colorado, which netted thousands and thousands for shoppers after the lenders illegally withheld refunds for charges paid for assured car safety, often known as GAP protection.
- A settlement reached with Walmart after an investigation discovered the corporate was overcharging shoppers. Settlement funds had been directed to supply thousands and thousands in new granting alternatives for native meals banks, meals pantries, and diaper banks.
- Settlements with Alternative Motels and Omni to make their charges extra clear for shoppers trying to e book on the chains’ accommodations and resorts.
To this point, Weiser has secured over $400 million in refunds, restitution, credit, and debt reduction for Colorado shoppers.
Customers ought to report scams, fraud, and different complaints at StopFraudColorado.gov or by calling 800-222-4444.Â
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