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NY Attorney General Releases Top 10 Consumer
Complaints of 2025
Published: March 02, 2026 at
02:15 p.m.
By: Press Release
from NYS Attorney General’s Office
Attorney General James Releases Top 10 Consumer
Complaints of 2025
Top Fraud Categories Include Retail, Housing,
Automobile, Internet, and Banking
AG James Offers Tips to Avoid Scams, Urges New
Yorkers to Report Fraud to Her Office
NEW YORK – New
York Attorney General Letitia James today marked the beginning of National
Consumer Protection Week by releasing a list of the top 10 consumer
complaints received by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in 2025.
The top complaints concerned high prices of essential goods and services,
housing issues, bank fraud, and violations of online privacy. Attorney
General James is also providing a variety of tips on how consumers can
avoid common scams and protect their hard-earned money.
“New Yorkers are
already feeling the squeeze of higher prices, and scams, hidden fees, and
deceptive practices can make daily life even harder to afford,” said Attorney
General James. “My office will not tolerate companies that take
advantage of New Yorkers, and I am committed to enforcing the law and
returning money to consumers who are cheated. I urge everyone to stay alert and report suspected scams and fraud to my office
so we can continue protecting New Yorkers’ wallets.”
The following are
the top 10 most common types of consumer complaints received by OAG in
2025:
|
Category of
complaint
|
Common sources
of fraud
|
Number of
complaints
|
|
1. Retail Sales
|
Online
purchases, deceptive advertising, price gouging, retail sales, defective
merchandise, and poor customer service
|
4,809
|
|
2.
Internet
|
Internet
services and service providers, data privacy and security, digital media,
and frauds through internet manipulation
|
4,595
|
|
3. Automobile
|
Car sales,
service, financing, and repairs
|
4,521
|
|
4. Credit,
Banking, and Mortgages
|
Debt
collection, credit card billing, debt settlement, payday loans, credit
repair, credit reporting agencies, identity theft, banking, loan
modification scams, and mortgage lending and servicing
|
4,235
|
|
5.
Landlord/Tenant
|
Security
deposits, evictions, and tenant harassment
|
4,041
|
|
6. Consumer
Services
|
Immigration
service providers, alarm companies, dry cleaners, restaurants, movers,
storage facilities, and services for personal or household use
|
3,330
|
|
7. Utilities
|
Wireless and
residential phones, energy services and suppliers, and cable and
satellite companies
|
1,423
|
|
8. Home
Repair/Improvement
|
Repair issues,
deceitful contractors, and solar panel installations
|
1,349
|
|
9.
Entertainment
|
Events,
concerts, ticket sales, and streaming services
|
1,079
|
|
10. Travel
|
Airline
customer service, flight cancellations, and refunds
|
718
|
Attorney General
James urges New York consumers who have been victims of deceptive or
fraudulent practices to file a consumer complaint online or call
1-800-771-7755. To help New Yorkers protect themselves against common
sources of fraud, Attorney General James released the following tips to
help consumers avoid fraudulent practices and report them to OAG.
Retail Sales
Online and In-Person
Algorithmic
Pricing
Companies
that use algorithmic pricing, also known as surveillance pricing, use
customers’ personal data to set individualized prices. These pricing
schemes are most commonly used on businesses’ apps
or as part of loyalty programs, where consumers may receive an
individualized discount offering a different, personalized price. New
York’s Algorithmic Pricing Disclosure Act, which took effect on November
10, 2025, requires most companies that use algorithmic pricing to clearly
display a disclosure notifying consumers that prices are set using their
personal data.
New Yorkers can
use the following tips to determine if they are being
offered personalized algorithmic pricing:
- Compare the price you are offered online with
the price listed for the same product offered to others. If you are
offered a unique price, it may have been set using your personal data.
- Compare discounts you are offered by a
company – particularly those offered within a company’s app or online
account – with those offered to others. If you are receiving a
discount that only you can see, it is more likely to be a personalized
one set using your data.
- Compare the price of an item before and after
taking an action that the business you are
shopping from can track. For example, if you
are offered a new price after searching for an item elsewhere online
or shopping from a new location, it may be a sign that the price is
set using your personal data.
Attorney General
James is encouraging consumers to file complaints with OAG if they encounter
algorithmic pricing that is not properly disclosed. Businesses that do not
comply with the law can face a $1,000 penalty per violation.
Price Gouging
New
York law prohibits businesses from taking unfair advantage of consumers by
selling goods or services that are vital to health, safety, or welfare for
an unconscionably excessive price during emergencies. The price gouging law
covers New York state vendors, retailers, and suppliers, and includes
essential goods and services that are necessary for the health, safety, and
welfare of consumers or the general public. These
goods and services may include gasoline, generators, batteries,
flashlights, hotel lodging, and transportation options.
When reporting price gouging to OAG, consumers should:
- Report the specific increased prices, dates,
and places that they saw the increased prices; and
- Provide copies of their sales receipts and
photos of the advertised prices, if available.
Landlord/Tenant
Issues
Security Deposits
- Your landlord must return your security
deposit within 14 days of you moving out. If your landlord takes any
money out of the security deposit for damages, they must provide an
itemized receipt describing the damage and its cost. If your landlord
does not give you this receipt within 14 days of moving out, then they
must return your entire security deposit, whether there is damage or
not.
- If your landlord fails to comply, you may be
entitled to up to twice the amount of the security deposit.
- If your landlord does not give you back your
security deposit, you can sue the landlord in small claims court or you
can file a complaint with OAG by using the online Rent Security Complaint form.
- Landlords of buildings with six or more units
must deposit a tenant’s security deposit into an interest-bearing
account in a bank within the state that pays a prevailing rate. The
landlord is required to provide notice to the tenant of the name and
address of the bank where the security deposit is located. If you do
not have this information or if your landlord is not placing your
security deposit in an interest-bearing account, you can file a complaint with OAG by using the online Rent Security Complaint form.
Rent
- Tenants in a rent-stabilized apartment are
entitled to one- or two-year renewal leases at their option and at
percentage increases that are established each year by the Rent
Guidelines Board. Tenants can find out if their apartment is rent
stabilized by filling out this form on New York State Housing and Community Renewal’s
(HCR) website and selecting “Apartment Rent History.” From
the rent history, you should be able to determine if the rent went up
in accordance with the rent stabilization guidelines. If it has not
and you believe you are being overcharged on the rent, you can file an RA-89 form with HCR.
- Avoid signing back-dated documents from your
landlord or the building management company, such as back-dated
leases that were not offered to you in a timely way. Not only is
signing a back-dated document inaccurate, it
may also result in negative legal consequences down the road.
- If you are having trouble paying your rent,
please contact your local Department of Social Services (DSS). Check DSS’s website to find their offices across the
state. New York City residents can call 311 and ask about rental
assistance programs. More resources are available on OAG’s website.
Automobile Fraud
- New York’s Lemon Laws protect consumers who
buy or lease new and used cars. You may be entitled to a refund or
comparable replacement car if the car you purchased does not match the
terms of its written warranty and you meet other requirements. To find
more information about New York’s Lemon Laws and how your vehicle may
be covered, visit OAG’s
website.
- Attorney General James recently took action
against car manufacturers Hyundai and Kia for failing to install proper anti-theft technology in
their vehicles. Owners of Hyundai and Kia cars can take the
following steps to keep their cars safer from theft:
- Check to make sure you have the latest
anti-theft software on your vehicles. Consumers can contact their
local Hyundai or Kia dealership or visit the Hyundai or Kia websites to determine if their vehicle
model is eligible for a software upgrade.
- Obtain free zinc ignition cylinder sleeves
from your local Hyundai and Kia dealerships to protect the ignition
cylinders. Installing the sleeves will make
it harder for thieves to steal the cars and
provide significantly more protection than the anti-theft software
alone.
- Hyundai or Kia owners who previously
installed a software update from Kia intended to stop the thefts, or
were scheduled to do so, but experienced a theft or attempted car
theft after April 29, 2025, can file a claim for
restitution. Consumers can visit the settlement website for more information
about the claims process.
Utilities,
Internet, and Residential Phone Service
- Any consumer who believes they received a
high utility bill as a result of a billing error or experienced an
unauthorized shutoff should report it to OAG by filing a complaint online.
- Resources are available for consumers who may
need help paying their utility bill. Utilities companies offer
programs and payment plans to help. In addition, the Home Energy
Assistance Program (HEAP) helps low-income individuals pay the cost of
heating their homes. Information on how to apply is available online.
- In addition, residential customers in New
York should know they have strong legal protections for essential
winter weather services, including heat and hot water:
- New York state requires utilities to make
extra efforts to reach out to households before a shutoff occurs
during the cold weather period, from November 1 through April 15.
- Utilities must wait at least 35 days from
when notices are past due to pursue
termination of service and must provide at least 15 days’ notice
before doing so.
- Utilities cannot shut off service to
residential consumers during the two-week period that includes
Christmas and New Year’s Day.
- Utilities must have trained personnel
evaluate a consumer’s circumstances to determine whether there is a
risk of serious impairment to a resident’s health or safety before
shutting off service. When there is such a risk, utilities must also
notify social services to evaluate the situation before shutting off
service
Internet Fraud
Consumers should
take the following steps to help protect themselves online from account
takeovers, in which scammers gain access to personal accounts to steal
personal information, read private messages, fraudulently charge credit
cards, and take other nefarious actions.
- Use strong passwords. It is important to have
a strong and unique password for each of your online accounts. The
password does not need to be long, but it has to
be complicated enough, utilizing a combination of letters, numbers,
and special characters.
- Use multifactor authentication. Enable
multifactor authentication when possible on
your accounts. Multifactor authentication provides an extra level of
security when signing into an account.
- Enable notifications of account changes. This
will alert the user to any changes such as password updates or login
attempts, allowing the user to take prompt action if the changes were
not authorized.
- Use antivirus software. Make sure your
antivirus software is up to date with the latest virus definitions.
Maintain a routine of running your antivirus software periodically to
catch any malware, such as a keylogger, on your computer.
- Check breached credentials databases. Check
websites, such as https://haveibeenpwned.com/, to monitor which
accounts of yours have suffered a data breach incident. Knowing which
accounts have been compromised can help you take corrective actions,
such as changing your passwords, as soon as possible.
In addition
to releasing proposed rules to restrict addictive
social media features and protect children’s mental health online under the
SAFE for Kids Act, Attorney General James encourages parents to take the
following steps to protect their children online:
- Keep consoles and PCs in high-traffic common
areas (like the living room). This discourages risky behavior and
allows you to indirectly monitor without hovering.
- Avoid allowing gaming devices in bedrooms,
especially overnight. This helps prevent unsupervised late-night chats
with strangers.
- Foster open and honest dialogue: ask your
children to show you how their games work. Instead of just saying
"don't talk to strangers," explain what bad actors do, such
as grooming or social engineering, so they understand the
logic behind the rules.
- Set screentime limits. Use the
"Three-Legged Stool" approach—balance gaming with schoolwork
and physical activity. Most consoles allow you to automate these
"hard stops" at a specific time of night.
- Prioritize privacy. Reinforce that
"personal information" includes more than just their
name.
- Avoid saving credit card information to the
console. Instead, use digital gift cards for a set amount. This
prevents accidental overspending and protects your main bank account
from being drained if the gaming account is hacked.
- Watch for in-game scams. Teach children that
"Free Robux" or "Free
Skins" offers are almost always phishing attempts designed to
steal their account login.
- Always create a Parent Account first,
then create a Child Account under it. This gives you the
"admin" power to approve or deny friend requests and
purchases from your own phone.
- You can set accounts to "Friends
Only" or disable chat entirely for younger children. Enable
built-in filters to automatically hide toxic language in global chats.
Credit and
Banking Fraud
Attorney General
James provides the following tips to help New Yorkers avoid being scammed:
- Do not click on unsolicited links provided
via text or email.
- Do not call the number provided in a pop-up,
text, or email.
- Never read codes, passwords, or other
security or personal information over the phone to someone who called
you directly.
- Never give someone you don’t know remote
access to your computer.
- Never move your money out of your bank
account at the urging of someone over the phone.
- If someone claims there is an issue with your
bank account, hang up and contact your financial institution by
calling the number printed on your bank statement instead.
- Remember, a scam is effective because the
scammer creates a circumstance that relies on pressuring the victim
into life-altering decisions on the spot and swearing them to secrecy.
The best way to combat this is to hang up and contact someone you
trust and let them know your situation.
If you or someone
you know is a victim of a banking scam, please file
an online complaint or call 1-800-771-7755.
Consumers who are
concerned that their personal data has been compromised can freeze their
credit with the three major credit bureaus: Equifax; Experian; and
TransUnion. A credit freeze lets you restrict access to your credit report,
which makes it more difficult for someone to open a new account in your
name. Credit freezes and unfreezes are free.
- Fraud alerts, which are also free, can be
obtained for a year. When you place a fraud alert on your credit
report, businesses are required to take reasonable steps to ensure
that the person who is applying for credit in a particular name is
indeed that person and not someone else.
- You can place a credit freeze with
Experian online or by calling (888) 397-3742.
- You can place a credit freeze with
Equifax online or by calling (888) 766-0008.
- You can place a credit freeze with
TransUnion online or by calling (800) 680-7289.
Immigration
Service Provider Fraud and Immigration Scams
New Yorkers
should beware of scammers who pose as immigration service providers and
make false promises of citizenship and residency. New York’s Immigrant
Assistance Service Enforcement Act protects immigrants from fraud and
requires immigration service providers to operate lawfully.
Immigration
service providers are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice or
representation. New York law requires service providers to follow certain
rules — including posting signs explicitly stating they are not attorneys —
to protect immigrants from scams and fraud. Under New York law, immigration
service providers cannot:
- Provide legal advice;
- Use the title of “attorney,” “notary public”
(unless they are licensed by the state), “accredited representative,”
“notario publico,”
“notario,” “immigration specialist,” or
“immigration consultant”;
- Imply that he or she can obtain special
favors with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or any other
governmental entity;
- Threaten to report a consumer to U.S.
Department of Homeland Security or other authorities, or threaten to
undermine a consumer’s immigration status;
- Demand or retain fees for services not
performed, or services to be performed in the future, or costs that
have not been incurred; or
- Advise, direct, or permit a consumer to
provide a false statement on a government document or in a discussion
with a government official.
Immigration
Service Providers are also required by law to use contracts that:
- Are in a language understood by the consumer;
- Include an itemization of all services to be
provided and fees to be charged; and
- State, “You may cancel your contract at any
time. You have three business days to cancel this contract without fee
or penalty and get back any fees that you have already paid.”
Only work with a
licensed lawyer or an authorized immigration services provider, never sign
blank applications or documents you do not understand, and do not pay by
cash or by wire transfer. If you have been a victim of immigration fraud or
received unauthorized legal advice on immigration matters, please contact
the Attorney General’s Immigration Services Fraud Unit Hotline at (212)
416-6149 or file a complaint online. If you are in need of an
attorney or accredited representative in an immigration matter, please
contact either the New York State Bar Association online or at (800) 342-3661, or the American
Immigration Lawyers Association online or at (202) 507-7600 for a referral.
Home Improvement
- Before deciding to install solar panels on
your home, thoroughly research the companies and the different
products available before making a decision and consult OAG’s guide for home solar power.
- Greater demand for contractors may make it
harder for you to find a reputable contractor to make badly needed
repairs. Some contractors may overextend themselves and promise more
than they can deliver. Natural disasters and major weather events
often attract scam artists who try to take advantage of you and other
consumers when you are most vulnerable. After a big weather event, be
especially vigilant to avoid being victimized as you attempt to put
your life back in order.
- Consumers should use the following tips to
protect themselves:
- Be wary of anyone who shows up at your door
unsolicited and offers to do home repairs.
- Non-local contractors may be difficult to
track down if they perform work incorrectly or if you later have
additional problems that you want them to fix.
- Use a contractor with a name, address, and
contact number you can verify.
- Don’t fall prey to high-pressure tactics. A
legitimate contractor won’t pressure you to sign a contract and hand
over a deposit on the spot.
- Never give a contractor a cash deposit
before you sign a contract.
- Always do your homework before you hire a
contractor:
- Ask for references and follow up by
checking with them.
- Ask the contractor for proof of insurance.
- Check the Better Business Bureau website for
complaints.
- Search online for any evidence that the
contractor is disreputable.
- Home-improvement contractors must be
licensed in New York City, Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Putnam, and
Rockland counties, and the City of Buffalo. Before you hire a
contractor, check to make sure the contractor is licensed or
registered in your county.
Air Travel
- Attorney General James urges all New Yorkers
with air travel plans to know their rights and take the following
steps to protect themselves during their air travel:
- If a flight is significantly delayed,
canceled, or if a traveler is denied boarding despite purchasing a
ticket, they may be entitled to compensation. Travelers can submit
complaints online and should have the following
documents and materials available to provide with their complaint:
- Booking details, such as their ticket,
itinerary, and invoice;
- Flight details, such as dates, flight
numbers, and city pairs; and
- Any supporting documentation, such as a copy
of the complaint filed with the airline or ticket agent, if
available.
- Travelers are entitled to a refund if an
airline cancels a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer
chooses not to travel or accept travel credits, vouchers, or other
forms of compensation offered by the airline.
- Travelers are eligible to receive a full
refund on their ticket within 24 hours of purchasing it if the ticket
is purchased more than seven days before the flight. However, most
discount fares are non-refundable.
- Airlines are required to adhere to the
promises that they make in their customer service plan, including
commitments to care for travelers in the event of controllable delays
or cancellations. Travelers should consult the United States
Department of Transportation’s airline cancellation and delay dashboard to
see what amenities and compensation airlines have committed to provide
passengers in the event of a controllable delay or cancellation.
- If a flight is scheduled to depart within
seven days, airlines are required to provide status updates within 30
minutes of the airline becoming aware of a change. The flight status
information must, at a minimum, be provided on the airline's website
and telephone reservation system. The airline must also update all
flight status displays and other sources of flight information at U.S.
airports that are under the airline's control within 30 minutes of the
airline becoming aware of the problem.
- If an airline has overbooked a flight and not
enough passengers have volunteered to give up their seats to fly on a
different flight, they may select passengers to bump off the flight.
Passengers who are bumped may be entitled to compensation and must receive
a written statement describing their rights and explaining how the
airline decides who gets bumped.
- Travelers are entitled to refunds of their
checked bag fees if their baggage:
- Has been declared lost by the airline;
- Is not delivered within 12 hours after the
flight has arrived if it is on a domestic flight;
- Is not delivered within 15 hours after the
flight has arrived if the flight is international and shorter than 12
hours; or
- Is not delivered within 30 hours after the
flight has arrived if the flight is international and longer than 12
hours.
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