Consumer Protection Division

The Consumer Protection Division provides mediation services to consumers to help resolve complaints against businesses and health insurance carriers. The Division also provides information about complaints that have been filed against businesses, information regarding new home builder or health club registration, and provides publications to help consumers make good decisions in the marketplace.

OAG Consumer Protection Snapshot

In FY2024, the Consumer Protection Division…

Received

11,188 Complaints
& 59,704 Inquiries

Recovered

$15.15 Million

for Maryland Consumers

Participated in

Consumer Outreach events

(Fairs, Talks, and Community Events)

Helpful Links

About the Division

Consumer Alerts (Subscribe to email alerts here)
Consumer Publications
Consumer Recalls
Helpful Consumer Links
Volunteer/Internship Opportunities

Health

Services

References & Guidance

Consumer Protection Frequently Asked Questions

You can file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division either online or by filling out and mailing a consumer complaint form. See File a Consumer Complaint.

If you have a health billing complaint, you can file a complaint with the Division's Health Education and Advocacy Unit.

No. Most contracts do not allow for a 3-day cooling-off period unless specifically stated by law (e.g., door-to-door sales).

Stores must post their return policy. If it's not posted, the store must accept a return within a reasonable time. Defective items must be repaired, replaced, or refunded regardless of policy.

The Division can tell you if complaints have been filed and resolved. Also check the Maryland Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing.

See our publication: How to Stop Telemarketing and Junk Mail.

Although you have the right to the information in your medical records, the records themselves belong to the provider. They may charge a fee to cover retrieval and photocopying. Visit our page about requesting more medical records.

No. Eviction is a legal process. A landlord must go to court and get a judgment before evicting you. Changing the locks or removing your belongings without a court order is illegal. Visit our publication on eviction for more info.

Maryland's Lemon Law applies to a car, light truck, or motorcycle registered in Maryland that’s been driven less than 18,000 miles and owned less than 24 months, and:

Has a brake or steering failure not corrected after the first attempt, failing Maryland safety inspection;
Has any one problem impairing use/value not corrected in 4 attempts; or
Has issues that render it unusable for 30 or more total days.

More information is available in our Maryland’s Lemon Law publication.