Florida Consumer Complaints & Resources (2024)

FAQs

How do I file a complaint against a company in Florida? ›

Florida Attorney General's hotline helps victims of any type of fraud or unfair trade practices get the assistance they need; toll-Free 1-866-966-7226. Once at the Florida Bar website, click on "Consumer Services;" also see fee arbitration program, fee mediation program.

Consumer laws in Florida set out to protect residents from scams and enforce their rights against both the government and large corporations. The statues generally lay out consumers' rights in the marketplace. They are intended to safeguard citizens in commercial transactions, and protect them from financial harm.

File a complaint with government or consumer programs

File a complaint with your local consumer protection office. Notify the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in your area about your problem. The BBB tries to resolve complaints against companies. If you think you may have experienced a scam, report it to the FTC.

The Division of Consumer Services offers a variety of information and resources to educate consumers regarding numerous insurance and financial topics. Our mission is to proactively educate and assist Florida's insurance and financial consumers through responsive, professional and innovative service.

You, the plaintiff, must file a “Statement of Claim” form, available at your Clerk's office. This must be fully completed and signed to receive a pre-trial conference date. If your claim is based upon written documentation, attach a copy of the contract to the Statement of Claim form. You may file by mail or in person.

State what you feel should be done about the problem and how long you are willing to wait to get the problem resolved. Make sure that you are reasonable in requesting a specific action. Include copies of any documents regarding your problem, such as receipts, warranties, repair orders, contracts and so forth.

FCCPA Legislation

Three of the most common violations are: Contacting a debtor represented by an attorney when the creditor should have known of the debtor's legal representation. Abusing or harassing a debtor with repeated correspondence.

FDUTPA defines unfair trade practices as those that “cause substantial injury to consumers or other businesses and cannot be reasonably avoided by the consumer or the other business.” FDUTPA is also a “gap filler” to questions of federal law because it provides consumers with a private right of action to sue for unfair ...

Whoever knowingly communicates false information that a consumer product has been tampered with, if such tampering, had it occurred, would create a risk of death or bodily injury to another person, is guilty of a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

Florida law defines the following acts as unfair claim settlement practices: 1. Attempting to settle claims on the basis of an application, when serving as a binder or intended to become a part of the policy, or any other material document which was altered without notice to, or knowledge or consent of, the insured.

Does Florida have a consumer Privacy Act? ›

Under the Florida Privacy Protection Act, businesses must carefully consider their need to collect and process personal information. All data collection, use, and retention must be reasonably necessary.

Florida Statute §501.165 requires that automatic renewal provisions in service contracts be clear and conspicuous, and that the consumer be notified no less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before their contract automatically renews, if the initial contract is 12 months or more and if it automatically renews for more ...

Short Answer: Yes, if the business has responded to BBB complaints in the past, it is worth filing a complaint with the BBB since it is free and relatively quick. But note, the BBB cannot force the business to come to an agreement with you since the BBB is not a government agency.

The FCC cannot resolve all individual complaints, but we can provide information about your possible next steps. The collective data we receive from complaints helps us keep a pulse on what consumers are experiencing, may lead to investigations and serves as a deterrent to the companies we regulate.

The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection stops unfair, deceptive and fraudulent business practices by collecting reports from consumers and conducting investigations, suing companies and people that break the law, developing rules to maintain a fair marketplace, and educating consumers and businesses about their rights ...

If you have any questions regarding the filing of an Employment complaint, please call the FCHR for assistance at (850) 488-7082.