The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office today issued a warning to consumers to clear up confusion about a website that is a private business, not a government agency. For a fee, the website, consumerprotectionagency.us, offers to file a consumer's complaint with the State Attorney General's Office and/or other government agencies. The site includes a form to file a complaint and charges $4.95 per complaint, which must be paid by credit card.

According to Senior Assistant Attorney General M. Kristin Spath, Bureau Chief of the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the Attorney General's Office, there is no need for consumers to pay a fee or to use third parties in order to file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office. Complaints can be sent directly to the Attorney General's Office at 33 Capitol Street, Concord, NH 03301, free of charge. Individuals may also download a complaint form from the Consumer Protection Bureau's website.

Spath noted that consumers who file directly with the Attorney General's Office have the added assurance of knowing they can easily contact the Consumer Bureau if they have follow-up questions about the complaint process. By contrast, the consumerprotectionagency.us has no address, phone number or other information posted on the site to enable a consumer to request additional information or assistance from that business. "There is also delay in the receipt of a consumer complaint if it is sent to the website," Spath added.

According to Spath, during this week alone the Consumer Bureau has received ten complaints that appear to have come from this website, meaning New Hampshire consumers have already paid almost $50.00 for a service that is provided by the Attorney General's Office free of charge.

Consumers with any further questions are urged to contact the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office at 271-3641.

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