National Consumer Protection Week: Colorado consumers filed record number of complaints in 2024
March 3, 2025 (DENVER) – Kicking off National Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Phil Weiser revealed today that consumers filed over 24,000 complaints with his office in 2024. Topping the list are complaints related to retail sales, professional services, real estate, and imposter scams.
In total, Coloradans reported 24,473 complaints with the attorney general’s office in 2024, surpassing the previous record of 20,390 set in 2023. The total number of complaints rose 20% from 2023.
“A record-breaking number of complaints means too many consumers are being treated unfairly, but it also means that Coloradans know where to turn if they have a problem,” Weiser said. “Complaints inform our consumer protection work that has secured more than $500 million in refunds, restitution, credits, and debt relief for Colorado consumers since I took office. Whether it’s being mistreated by a business or being targeted by scammers, Colorado consumers should continue reporting complaints to us at StopFraudColorado.gov.”
Every year, the Department of Law recognizes National Consumer Protection Week, an initiative of the Federal Trade Commission, to educate consumers about their rights, how to avoid scams and fraud, and to highlight the importance of filing complaints with law enforcement.
The top 10 types of complaints and inquiries received in 2024 are:
| Top Types of Complaints & Inquiries for 2024 | ||
| Description | 2024 | |
| 1. Retail Sales | These include complaints relating to unauthorized memberships or subscriptions, service and delivery issues, and cancellation/termination issues. | 1,673 |
| 2. Professional Services | These complaints include issues regarding product and service warranties, business support, and legal-related services. | 1,376 |
|
3. Real Estate Sales & Services |
These complaints include issues relating to rental and leasing, property management, and real estate related activities. | 1,272 |
| 4. Imposter Scams | In many cases, these scams relate directly to fraudulent telephone calls, emails, or text messages from scammers posing as a government official or employees from a reputable company, often seeking monetary payments through gift cards, wire transfers, and other money transfer services. | 1,205 |
| 5. Debt Collection | These complaints include issues under the Colorado Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, including harassment or abuse by a debt collector, disputed debt, and phantom debt or unlicensed collection. | 1,005 |
| 6. Automobile Sales & Services | These complaints include issues relating to automotive purchases, service and repair, auto rentals, and towing services. | 958 |
| 7. Home Services & Repair | These complaints include issues relating to general contracting and remodeling, heating and cooling, and handyman services. | 915 |
| 8. Health Care & Medical Services | These complaints include issues relating to hospitals and urgent care, health and medical insurance carriers, health practitioners relating to quality of care, medical billing, and coverage issues. | 804 |
| 9. Consumer Loans & Credit Sales | These complaints include issues under the Uniform Consumer Credit Code, including interest rates, and credit reporting. They also include unlicensed activity, including tribal lending. | 762 |
| 10. Telecommunications | These complaints include issues relating to cable/television, cellular/mobile phones, internet, and other bundled telecommunications services. | 579 |
Consumer protection actions taken in 2024:
- A $1 million settlement (opens new tab) with Four Star Realty to resolve a state investigation into the company for illegal tenant billing and withholding deposits.
- Reaching an agreement with Marriott hotels (opens new tab) to make their pricing more transparent for consumers.
- Filing a lawsuit in state court to stop the Kroger/Albertsons merger (opens new tab). The trial in Colorado’s case concluded in October. While a federal judge (opens new tab)
blocked the merger because it would violate antitrust laws, the attorney general’s office is still waiting for a ruling from the judge in Colorado. - A settlement with U.S. Anesthesia Partners (opens new tab) to end their monopoly over anesthesia care in Colorado.
- Announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation (opens new tab) to better protect air passengers from disputes with airlines.
- Joined a federal antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation (opens new tab) for allegedly monopolizing the concert ticketing and live entertainment industry.
- Advised consumers of new rights under Colorado’s updated lemon law (opens new tab).
- Sued RealPage (opens new tab) for rental price-fixing and illegally raising thousands of Coloradans’ rents.
- Cracked down on bogus business filings (opens new tab) with the state by settling with an individual who filed over 15,000 fraudulent businesses.
- Announced a $49 million settlement with generic drug manufacturers (opens new tab) as part of an ongoing antitrust lawsuit.
- After a landmark court ruling in the Google search engine monopoly case, Colorado and the Justice Department proposed a robust set of remedies (opens new tab) to end the company’s illegal search monopoly.
Consumers should report scams, fraud, and other complaints at StopFraudColorado.gov or by calling 800-222-4444.
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