Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul

Home Repair and Identify Theft Complaints Top List for Fourth Year in a Row 

Chicago – In recognition of National Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced the Top 10 consumer complaints his office received last year and highlighted his office’s work to protect consumers. For the fourth year in a row, complaints related to home repairs and remodeling topped the list while identity theft complaints remained second. 

Consumer debt came in third, and according to Attorney General Raoul, the issue is particularly relevant this year as he continues to defend the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) against efforts by the Trump administration and Elon Musk to defund and disband it. The CFPB is an independent agency that oversees big banks, lenders, credit card companies and mortgage servicers, and ensures companies follow federal consumer protection laws.   

“During National Consumer Protection Week, and throughout the year, I encourage Illinois residents to visit my office’s website and social media channels to learn more about common consumer complaints and how to protect themselves from fraud and scams,” Raoul said. “Now more than ever, I am committed to defending the CFPB so it can continue to enforce federal consumer protection laws that protect our residents from fraud.”

In February, Attorney General Raoul joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general to file an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, arguing that dismantling the CFPB would significantly harm consumers and hamper enforcement of federal consumer protection laws. The next day, Raoul, with the same coalition filed an amicus in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in support of CFPB workers who have helped return more than $20 billion to defrauded consumers, slashed junk fees, and stopped predatory auto and mortgage lenders. Raoul encourages all consumers with any finance-related complaints to file a complaint with his office.

According to Raoul, in 2024 consumers contacted his office about a variety of home repair and remodeling work, reporting they were dissatisfied with the quality of work, as well as the complete failure by companies to conduct any work after receiving a down payment. Raoul emphasized the importance of researching contractors before making any payments or signing contracts, and encouraged consumers to visit the Attorney General’s website for more tips to help avoid home repair fraud.

For the second year in a row, Attorney General Raoul also highlighted identify theft-related complaints as the second most frequent his office received in 2024. Consumers filed complaints with Raoul’s office related to concerns over disclosures and breaches of their information, having credit cards or other financial products taken out in their names, or having government benefits stolen by impersonators. Raoul reminded consumers to be vigilant about their personal information, particularly when they are online. He urged consumers to change passwords often and avoid using the same passwords for multiple accounts.

Top 10 Breakdown
Raoul’s annual Top 10 list of consumer complaints ranks every complaint his office receives on a range of topics. In 2024, the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Bureau saved consumers more than $12 million through mediation and secured more than $48 million through enforcement actions. The office received a total of 18,901 written complaints in 2024, in addition to tens of thousands of phone calls.

Raoul urges Illinois residents who believe they have been the victim of any type of fraud to file a complaint by visiting his office’s website or calling one of his office’s hotlines.

Consumer Fraud Hotlines:
1-800-386-5438 (Chicago)

1-800-243-0618 (Springfield)

1-800-243-0607 (Carbondale)

Spanish Language Hotline: 1-866-310-8398
Student Loan Helpline: 1-800-455-2456
Identity Theft Hotline: 1-866-999-5630 (TTY: 1-877-844-5461)
Homeowner Helpline: 1-866-544-7151