Although consumers are complaining more about Internet purchases, new and used car sales top the list of consumer complaints in 2002, according to a new survey.

CONSUMER TIPS Buying Cars Avoid Lemons Tips For Women Home Improvement Hiring Contractors What Your Contractor Won't Tell You Contractors And Permits ID Theft Are You Vulnerable? Tips: Protect Your Identity

Complaints about home-improvement companies rated second and were the fastest growing type of complaint. Home-improvement and auto complaints have occupied the top two spots for the last five years.

Meanwhile, Internet and e-commerce complaints made the top 10 list for the first time, and complaints about cell phones were among the fastest-growing areas of consumer angst, the survey found.

The survey, conducted by the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators and Consumer Federation of America, includes information from 43 consumer agencies, which handled more than 300,000 individual complaints in 2002.

The top 10 consumer complaints include:

1. New and used auto sales
2. Home improvement companies
3. Auto repairs
4. Credit and credit repair
5. Advertising/telemarketing
6. Bill collecting and billing practices
7. Household goods (tie)
7. Internet and e-commerce (tie)
7. Telecommunications, cable and satellite TV (tie)
7. Real estate and landlord tenant complaints (tie)

"Consumer problems with cell phone plans, online auctions and purchases made over the Internet are catching up with perennial complaints about big-ticket purchases," said Jean Ann Fox, director of consumer protection for CFA.

The 43 consumer agencies surveyed were able to successfully return $130 million to consumers following their complaints, an 18 percent increase over 2001. But growth in the number of complaints continues to outstrip increases in budget or staff, said Elizabeth Owen, NACAA executive director.

Additional Resources:

• Consumer Federation of America
• National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators