What kinds of businesses draw the most consumer complaints? Out of nearly 300,000 registered gripes compiled in a new survey, 10 industries have inspired the most headaches.
Cars, home improvement jobs and billing disputes created the most work for consumer advocacy groups in 2014. Those were the same top three from the previous year.
The report was released Wednesday, revealing research performed by the Consumer Federation of America and North American Consumer Protection Investigators.
The groups surveyed local consumer agencies across 21 states regarding the most common complaints they heard in the past year. The final list spanned a total of 281,639 consumer gripes.
Identity theft was the fastest-growing consumer complaint of last year, according to the report. A first-time complaint heard by several local agencies involved closed businesses reopening under the same name but with new ownership that refused to honor agreements made with customers of the original owners.
Fake offers to help students pay down loans and livestock thefts were listed among complaints heard by consumer agencies for the first time.
See the full Top 10 list below.
Clint Davis is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis.