Oregon’s Top Ten List of Scammers Released, Telecom is Worst

Today, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum released the annual top ten list of consumer complaints received by the Oregon Department of Justice, with telecommunications being the number one loser.

38,000 phone calls came into the department last year, resulting in 7,000 written complaints. Towing had never made the list in the past, but it slotted in as 7th worst this year.

The rise in towing complaints has to do with vehicles that were wrongfully towed, such as when there is not adequate signage from the towing company that a consumer could be towed. The problem has become so prevalent that Rosenblum Senate Bill 548 to create an Oregon Board of Towing.

Rosenblum releases the top ten list each year in honor of National Consumer Protection week. This year, she points out the general advice remains the same, if something is too good to be true, it probably is, so just hang up the phone when solicitors call.

Here’s the full top ten list:

  1. Telecommunications
  2. Auto – Sales & Repair
  3. Fraudulent Entity
  4. Financial/Credit/Lending
  5. Real Estate / Property Management
  6. Travel Services / Products
  7. Towing
  8. Insurance
  9. Telemarketing
  10. Medical Services / Products

If you believe you have an encountered a fraud or scam, contact the Oregon Department of Justice online at www.oregonconsumer.gov or call the agency’s hotline at 1-877-877-9392.

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