If you are a victim of consumer fraud, our Consumer Fraud Unit may be able to help you recover your losses, prosecute the person or business responsible for the fraud, and prevent other members of the public from falling victim to the scheme. The Unit handles a variety of civil and criminal consumer law cases including:
- Advance-fee loan scams
- Dishonest auto sales
- Home repair fraud
- Identity theft
- Immigration fraud
- Mortgage rescue fraud
- Travel scams
- Work-from-home scam
Contact the Consumer Fraud Line at 312-603-8700 to report an incident. Intake specialists are available to assist you Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST.
If you want to register a complaint, please fill out the "Consumer Complaint Form". Should your complaint fall within our jurisdiction, the Intake Specialist will send the appropriate complaint form to you by regular mail or, if you prefer, by e-mail.
Once you have completed the appropriate complaint form, you may submit the form by regular mail to the Consumer Fraud Unit, 69 W. Washington St., Suite 3130, Chicago, Illinois, 60602. Your written complaint should explain all of the facts of your dispute, and include copies of all important documents that relate to your complaint. Please do not send any original documents.
After a completed complaint form and supporting documents are returned to the Consumer Fraud Unit, the complaint will be given a file number and will be screened by an attorney. At this screening level, some cases are declined for prosecution, some cases are referred to other government or law enforcement agencies, and other cases are retained by the Consumer Fraud Unit for investigation. A person who files a written complaint with our Unit will be notified by letter of the decision of the screening attorney.
Even if a case is referred to an attorney for an investigation, a prosecution cannot be guaranteed. A consumer may have to resort to self-help methods, such as obtaining a private attorney or filing a claim in Pro Se/Small Claims Court, to resolve the dispute. (see below).
PRICE GOUGING
It is unlawful to charge excessively high prices for goods and services during a state-declared disaster. Price gouging causes substantial injury to consumers by needlessly increasing the cost of goods and services necessary to treat or prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus and making such items less available for use by the general public. Cook County residents are encouraged to report incidents of price gouging to the CCSAO by calling 312-603-8600 or by filling out a price gouging complaint form. More information: Price Gouging Frequently Asked Questions
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The Consumer Fraud Unit is part of the Special Prosecutions Bureau of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The offices of the Consumer Fraud Unit are located at 50 W. Washington St., Suite 2700, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 (312) 603-8600.
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Managing a Home Repair on Your Own
In some situations, the Consumer Fraud Unit will not be able to prosecute your particular case. The mere failure of a person or a company to furnish you with an entirely satisfactory product or service is not consumer fraud, and in these cases the Consumer Fraud Unit is not empowered to investigate or prosecute. In addition, the performance of partial work at your home usually precludes a successful criminal prosecution for theft or home repair fraud. However, a decision by the State’s Attorney’s Office to refrain from prosecuting your case does not mean that you have no legal recourse.
Self-Help Activities
As a first step in resolving your consumer dispute, you should notify, in writing, the business and/or individual of the exact nature of your dispute. Your letter should request a refund and/or completion of the work within a reasonable time period of at least 10 days. You should send your letter by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested. Please retain a copy of this letter for your own records along with your other important documents.
Better Business Bureau
You may also file a written complaint with the Better Business Bureau of Chicago & Northern Illinois at (312) 832-0500, or www.chicago.bbb.org.
Pro-Se Court/Small Claims Court
You may also consider filing your own lawsuit in Pro-Se or Small Claims Court to resolve your dispute in a quick and economical fashion. A lawyer is not required to litigate a claim in Pro-Se or Small Claims Court, and the procedural rules are less formal than in other courts. Pro-Se Court handles claims of $1,500 or less, and Small Claims Court specializes in claims of $1,000 to $5,000. There is a fee for filing a complaint in these courts, but the cost of filing may be recovered in a judgment award. The current fee schedule and information about filing an action in Pro-Se Court may be found at the website of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County: http://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org
Every court district in Cook County maintains a Pro-Se and Small Claims Court.
Private Attorney
You may wish to contact a private attorney to evaluate your claim. Find an attorney through referrals from local bar associations or satisfied friends and family. The Chicago Bar Association [(312) 554-2001; (312) 554-2055 TDD] as well as other bar associations, maintain attorney referral services. You should know that most referral services charge a small fee.
Media
News media seeking additional information may contact the Press Office of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, 69 W. Washington St., Suite 3130, Chicago, Illinois 60602; phone: (312) 603-1851.
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You can contact the Consumer Fraud Unit at (312) 603-8700.