LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – If you’ve ever felt like Michigan businesses are running a contest for “Who Can Annoy Customers the Most,” you’re not alone. The Michigan Attorney General’s office just dropped its annual list of top consumer complaints, right on time for National Consumer Protection Week, and it appears to be a greatest-hits album of frustration.
From vanishing online orders to landlords with selective hearing, thousands of Michiganders spent 2024 battling shady deals, sketchy service, and customer “support” that’s anything but supportive. The Consumer Protection Team received more than 10,000 written consumer complaints and 20,000 phone calls. So, who’s leading the pack in making life miserable? Let’s dive in.
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1. The Internet: Where Your Orders Go to Vanish
Once upon a time, the internet was supposed to make life easier. Instead, it’s now a black hole where your online purchases disappear, never to be seen again. Whether it’s a “guaranteed” delivery that never arrives or a tech company that makes customer service feel like an Olympic obstacle course, Michiganders had many complaints about their digital disappointments.
2. Retail Therapy? More Like Retail Heartburn
Nothing soothes the soul like a little shopping – unless your package is on a nationwide tour with no ETA, or the “brand new” fridge dies within a week. Late deliveries, defective products, and straight-up scams earned retailers the No. 2 spot on the consumer headache leaderboard of grievances.
3. The Car Lot Shuffle: Lies, Lemons, and Loopholes
Whether it’s a shady used car dealer selling you a clunker, a repair shop holding your vehicle hostage, or a rental company charging you for damage you didn’t cause, Michigan drivers had a plethora of reasons to whine and moan about the auto industry.
4. Credit Nightmares: The Fine Print Will Find You
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Debt collectors, payday lenders, and mortgage brokers all disappointed consumers last year. Whether it’s a sketchy credit repair scheme or an interest rate that skyrockets overnight, Michigan consumers were not happy having to deal with financial shenanigans.
5. Beauty, Fitness, and Tax Prep: A Trifecta of Disappointment
When your spa day turns into a refund battle or your gym membership is impossible to cancel, you’ve got personal service providers to thank. Add in tax preparers with calculator malfunctions, and Michigan consumers filed complaints about these businesses that promised to make life easier but just made it more frustrating and expensive instead.
6. Healthcare Hassles: Surprise Bills and Vanishing Appointments
Doctors, dentists, hospitals, and clinics – sometimes they save lives, and sometimes they save you a bill you didn’t expect. With so many complaints filed, it’s easy to see that Michiganders aren’t thrilled about insurance fights, billing mysteries, or the challenge of getting an actual human on the phone.
7. Landlords and Tenants: Rent Prices Are Up, So Are the Complaints
Between sky-high rents, unresponsive landlords, and security deposits that seem to have entered the witness protection program, Michigan renters had many grievances to air out.
8. Gas, Propane, and Utilities: Paying More for Less
Residents made it clear they’re fed up with fluctuating gas prices, power outages, and bills that read like ransom notes. And we’d all love an explanation for those mysterious “service fees” that keep creeping up every month.
9. Contractors: Taking Your Deposit and Running Off
Ever hired a contractor who disappeared faster than your paycheck? From no-show roofers to half- finished remodels, Michigan residents filed more than a tool box full of complaints about home improvement nightmares.
10. Cable, Wireless, and Satellite: The Art of Customer Disservice
Billing “errors” (aka overcharges), mysterious fees, and service outages that last longer than they should cause many complaints from Michiganders around the state – confirming what we all know: cable and telecom companies have a special place in consumer frustration.
So, what’s the state doing about it?
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says her team managed to claw back $1.9 million for wronged consumers last year. While that’s a nice chunk of change, considering the sheer number of complaints, it’s clear that shady businesses are still having a field day producing customer dissatisfaction.
If you’ve been scammed, ignored, or just plain ripped off, Michigan’s Consumer Protection Team wants to hear about it and has an online consumer complaint form set up just for you. Or at the very least, they’ll add your frustration to next year’s growing list.
