Coinciding with the start of National Consumer Protection Week, both the Federal Trade Commission and New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman — one of the most active individual regulatory enforcers in the auto finance space — both released annual consumer compliant figures associated with their respective agencies.

While complaints associated with auto financing made the national regulator’s list of 10 top categories, auto-related complaints received by the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network in 2016 registered only a fraction of the overall figures generated by activities associated with categories such as debt collection, imposter scams and identify theft.

The FTC reported that it received 94,673 auto-related complaints last year, constituting 3 percent of the annual figure. The agency defines auto-related complaints as “Misleading or deceptive claims regarding auto prices, financing, leasing or warranties; repair\maintenance issues with newly purchased used or new cars, including dissatisfaction with service provided by auto mechanics; price fixing and price gouging concerns against gas stations and oil companies; etc.”

Last year, the FTC said it received 103,768 auto-related complaints and 95,039 auto-related complaints in 2014.

The regulator went on to say imposter scam complaints surpassed identity theft for the first time as the second most common category of consumer complaints, according to the agency’s new Data Book.

Although debt collection complaints declined slightly between 2015 and 2016, the FTC indicated they remained the top consumer complaint category, comprising 28 percent of all complaints. Officials determined the high number of reported debt collection complaints was due in part to complaints submitted by a data contributor who collects complaints via a mobile app.

The FTC contends the rise in impostor scam reports is due to an increase in complaints about government imposters. Officials explained imposter scams come in many varieties, but work the same way: a scammer pretends to be someone trustworthy, such as a government official or computer technician to convince a consumer to send money.

Imposter scams also topped the list of complaints from military consumers followed by identity theft complaints, according to the FTC.

The regulator noticed identity theft complaints declined from 16 percent in 2015 to 13 percent in 2016, with 29 percent of 2016 consumers reporting that their data was used to commit tax fraud. Officials added there was a jump in those consumers who reported that their stolen data was used for credit card fraud; this figure rose from nearly 16 percent in 2015 to more than 32 percent in 2016.

“Our latest data book shows that imposter scams are a serious and growing problem, and you can be sure that the FTC will use all the tools at its disposal to address it,” said Thomas Pahl, acting director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “That includes law enforcement actions against scammers and consumer education to help consumers avoid losing money.”

The most widely reported method of payment (58 percent) for those who reported losing money to fraud was a wire transfer. Of those who noted in their fraud complaint how they were first contacted, 77 percent said it was by phone.

In 2016, the Consumer Sentinel Network collected more than 3.1 million consumer complaints, which the FTC has sorted into 30 top complaint categories. As with 2015, Florida, Georgia and Michigan were the top three states for fraud and other complaints, while Michigan, Florida and Delaware were the top three states for identity theft complaints.

The complaint categories making up the top 10 are:

The FTC produces the Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book annually using complaints received by the Consumer Sentinel Network. These include complaints made directly by consumers to the FTC, as well as complaints received by state and federal law enforcement agencies, national consumer protection organizations, and 2non-governmental organizations.

The Data Book includes national statistics, as well as a state-by-state listing of top complaint categories in each state and a listing of metropolitan areas that generated the most complaints per capita.

The Consumer Sentinel Network’s secure online database is currently available to more than 2,300 individual users in civil and criminal law enforcement agencies across the country and abroad. Agencies use the data to research cases, identify victims and track possible targets. Although non-governmental organizations may contribute data to the database, only law enforcement agencies can access the database.

New York complaint data

Meanwhile in the Empire State, Schneiderman’s office reported that complaints about automobile sales, service, financing and repairs ranked second on the attorney general’s annual rundown, totaling 3,437. Officials explained many of the vehicle-related complaints were filed by Volkswagen consumers after Schneiderman announced an investigation into Volkswagen’s installation of software devices that caused its diesel vehicles to cheat environmental pollution tests.

The office participated in an interrelated series of partial settlements with Volkswagen and its Audi and Porsche affiliates that provided unprecedented relief, including enabling over 21,500 New York vehicle owners to sell their models back to the companies at pre-scandal, fair market value, plus receive a cash payment of at least $5,100.

Furthermore, Schneiderman highlighted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of New York’s New and Used Car Lemon Laws, which provide a legal remedy for buyers or lessees of new vehicles that turn out to be lemons. The arbitration program was extended to used vehicles three years after being introduced.

“You may be entitled to a full refund if your car does not conform to the terms of the written warranty and the manufacturer or its authorized dealer is unable to repair the car after a reasonable number of attempts,” Schneiderman’s office said. “The law allows consumers to shop around for the best deal when leasing a car, set limits on early termination, and gives the attorney general’s office jurisdiction to resolve excess wear-and-tear disputes.”

Since 1987, the attorney general’s office reported more than 30,000 new-model applications were filed resulting in more than 20,000 dispositions through either an arbitration award or a settlement. The 30-year total recoveries to consumers from the new-vehicle program are estimated to be in excess of $245 million and an estimated excess of $39 million from the used-vehicle program.

For the 11th year in a row, Internet-related complaints topped the annual list with 4,605 complaints received by Schneiderman’s office last year.

“This serves as a reminder: Fraudsters are always looking for ways to line their pockets at the expense of unsuspecting consumers,” Schneiderman said. “The best weapon against scams is an informed consumer — and the law. I encourage New Yorkers to report fraud, and my office will continue its long tradition of vigorously enforcing New York’s strong consumer protection laws.”