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Crooked credit repair companies top BBB complaints list

In many complaints, consumers reported feeling pressured and misled into accepting contracts and loans without fully understanding the details and obligations.
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Credit cards. Photo by thinkstock.ca

The Better Business Bureau received about 4,100 complaints in 2019, with credit repair services topping the list.

The BBB released its annual list of top complaints, as well as the top inquiries.

Credit repair services topped beating parking facilities and airlines. For consumer inquiries, loans, plumbers and roofing contractors held the top spots. 

“Consumers tend to have the most issues with and the greatest concern about things that directly affect their finances, whether it is them borrowing money or managing debt,'' said the BBB’s Karla Laird, in a news release. “However, it is concerning that in many of the complaints, consumers reported feeling pressured and misled into accepting contracts and loans without fully understanding the details and obligations.”

Other complaints about credit repair services included customer service issues, difficulty speaking with a representative once fees were paid and failure to deliver on the services and guaranteed results that were advertised, the BBB said.

“The level of negative exposure to consumers is one reason why BBB ranks this industry as high risk and implements stricter measures for those businesses interested in our accreditation program,” said the news release.

Here are the top 10 complaints and inquiries by industry for 2019:

Top 10 Complaints for 2019

Credit Repair Services - 589

Parking Facilities - 481

Airlines - 197

Electronic Equipment Dealers - 180

Loans - 172

Online Retailer - 168

Swimwear - 166

Collections Agencies - 153

New Car Dealers - 147

Moving Companies - 138

 

Top 10 Inquiries for 2019

Loans - 60,504

Plumbers - 57,284

Roofing Contractors - 53,038

General Contractor - 50,654

Home Improvement - 46,615

Moving Companies - 42,514

Home Builders - 31,438

Heating Contractors - 31,190

Collections Agencies - 31,030

Painting Contractors - 29,514

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