Attorney General Kelly Ayotte today announced that her Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau is accepting consumer complaints electronically through the Department of Justice’s website. The Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau website can be reached from the Department of Justice’s homepage at www.doj.nh.gov by clicking on “Consumer Protection”. The online complaint form can be reached by clicking on “filing a consumer complaint.”

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau receives and responds to thousands of written complaints from consumers in New Hampshire and other states. During the last biennium, over 6,500 written complaints were received and processed. Many of the complaints are handled through the Bureau’s voluntary mediation program. The mediation program was initiated in 1992. The Bureau recruits and trains qualified Consumer Affairs Specialists to handle the bulk of the cases in the mediation program.

In the last biennium, approximately 4,100 cases were referred to the mediation program. Total restitution recovered for consumers in the form of money, goods or services was approximately $581,369.00.

New Hampshire consumers are encouraged to review the information available on the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau’s website. Consumers with questions can also contact the consumer hotline toll free at 1-888-468-4454 weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Written complaints can be submitted either electronically through the Bureau’s website or on paper by downloading and printing a consumer complaint form.