By Dave Thompson
Bismarck, ND – Complaints about sweepstakes top the Attorney General's list of "top ten comsumer complaints."
Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem says the list details the top complaints handled this year by his office's Consumer Protection Division. He says the complaints are about contests that require some money to be spent to qualify for the prizes.
"To be a legal sweepstakes, you are not required to pay taxes, to pay a fee or buy anything in order to qualify. If they are a legal sweepstakes, they have to be absolutely free, and people need to not be pressured into sending money in or buying some kind of a service in order to qualify."
Telephone service complaints ranked second, followed by credit card complaints. Stenehjem says there are scam artists who, for 150-to 350-dollars, say they will take care of notifying your credit card company -- and paying losses -- if someone steals your card, or you lose it.
"The law provides that the maximum exposure you have if your credit card is lost or stolen is $50. And if you notify your company before a charge is made, you have no obligation. So these are not protection plans that are worth the kind of money that they're charging for it. So people should be aware of that."
Rounding out the top five were mail order and magazine subscription complaints. The rest of the top ten are complaints involving automobiles, travel and vacation prizes, Internet purchases, discount buying clubs and other services.