For the 10th year in a row auto-related issues ranked as the nation’s top consumer complaint category, according the Consumer Federation of America, or CFA, in its annual Consumer Agency Report. It highlights the top 10 consumer complaints reported to state and local consumer protection agencies across the country in 2025 that responded to a survey.
Housing-related complaints climbed to the No. 2 spot, reflecting the growing strain of the affordable housing crisis. Fraud and scams also remain among the most common complaints reported by agencies, underscoring the increasingly sophisticated threats consumers face from online scams.
The CFA’s top complaints list is as follows:
1.Automotive: Vehicle sales, leasing, repair, manufacturing issues, towing, and auto insurance.
2. Housing: Landlord-tenant disputes, real estate transactions, real estate agents, and condos.
3. Professional Services: Professional and consumer service complaints, including home improvement contractors.
4. Retail: Retail sales, advertising accuracy, pricing, refunds, returns, and delivery.
5. Financial Services: Banking institutions, consumer lending, fees, and debt collection.
6. Fraud and Scams: Consumer fraud, scams, impersonation, and identity theft.
7. Utilities: Electric, gas, water, internet, cable, and telephone services.
8. Healthcare: Healthcare providers, insurance, and medical billing disputes.
9. Travel and Transportation: Travel services, rental cars, fuel, moving, freight, and taxis.
10. Food and Hospitality: Food retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, and hospitality services.
The CFA report also describes the work of state and local consumer agencies in responding to consumer complaints. Participating agencies secured more than $890 million in relief for consumers in 2025.
The report analyzes the top 10 categories of consumer complaints received by 23 agencies in 17 states and Washington D.C.
These agencies vary in their functions and authority, but generally serve consumers in three ways: mediation of disputes between consumers and businesses; initiating enforcement actions or referring to the appropriate government agency to stop illegal conduct and obtain restitution for consumers; and conducting education and outreach programs to warn consumers about common fraudulent practices and provide useful tips and advice.
“At a time when consumers struggle to find adequate resources to pursue justice on their own and federal consumer protections have weakened, state and local agencies continue to provide frontline assistance, hold bad actors accountable, and offer invaluable insights into the challenges facing consumers across the country,” the CFA said in its report.
Thank you for distilling this information into a quick read. The top 2 complaint categories are not surprising, but I am perplexed that healthcare landed at #8.
Yes, it does seem like consumers would be filing more complaints about healthcare.
However, the Consumer Federation of America focuses on complaints filed with state Attorney General’s Offices and the few states that have a separate consumer agency, too.
Maybe consumers are filing their medical complaints with medical boards and state certification programs that take complaints against health care providers and hospitals. And then, one of the biggest medical complaints is large medical complaints that cause bankruptcy. Those statistics wouldn’t show up in this survey.