March 8, 2017
***National Consumer Protection Week Consumer Alert***
Carson City, NV – Today, Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt encourages Nevadans who believe they are victims of fraud, deception or an unfair business practices to file a complaint with his Office.
“Diligent consumers who take the time to file complaints assist my Office in preventing fraud, deception and unfair business practices in Nevada,” said Laxalt. “I encourage Nevadans to familiarize themselves with the complaint process so that my Office can best assist with their individual matters.”
After receiving a filed complaint, the Office of the Nevada Attorney General may, at its discretion, initiate an investigation into the company or individual against whom the complaint has been filed. In the event that the Office finds evidence of wrongdoing, a lawsuit may be brought on behalf of the state of Nevada. The Office does not represent individuals, and encourages those seeking individual representation to contact a private attorney or the State Bar of Nevada that sponsors the Nevada Lawyer Referral and Information Service. Additionally, the Office does not mediate individual disputes between consumers and businesses.
Nevadans interested in filing complaints should take the following steps to ensure their matter is accurately represented:
- File a complaint with our Office electronically or by hand. Complaints are available in both English and Spanish on our website under the “complaints” tab.
- Gather any documents relevant to your complaint, such as receipts, contracts, leases, repair orders or sales agreements. These documents will provide a reference for your complaint, and assist in the process of directing the complaint to the appropriate department or agency. Include a copy of the original documents with your signed complaint form, and keep the original documents for your reference.
- Select where to route your complaint: General Investigations, Bureau of Consumer Protection, High Tech Crime, Insurance Fraud, Medicaid Fraud, Mortgage Fraud, Workers Compensation Fraud, Open Meeting Law and Public Integrity. The more information we have, the more easily we can forward your complaint to the appropriate department. Open Meeting Law complaints will be reviewed by our Open Meeting Law Enforcement Unit, and will result in an Open Meeting Law opinion that will be sent to the complainant and subsequently uploaded to our website here.
- Check your complaint for accuracy. Should the Office send an inquiry letter to the company regarding the dispute, a copy of your complaint will be included.
- Sign the complaint. Printed complaints must be signed and either mailed to one of the listed Office locations or hand-delivered. Electronic complaint form signatures can be completed through DocuSign and submitted online. Complaints that are not signed and dated cannot be accepted.
Complaints are the best way for the Nevada Attorney General’s Office to receive information about potential fraud, deception or unfair business practices.
###