The Michigan Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team takes complaints about unfair or deceptive business practices and tries to resolve them by mediating between the consumer and the business. This is one of the procedures covered in the guide to the Michigan Consumer Protection Act. This article walks through who handles these complaints, how to file one online or by mail, what the office does with it, and when a different agency is the right place to send it.
What the Consumer Protection Team does
The Michigan Department of Attorney General runs a Consumer Protection Team that reviews complaints about businesses operating in trade or commerce. Its authority comes from the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits a long list of unfair, unconscionable, or deceptive methods, acts, and practices under Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.903. The Legislature amended the Act through 2022 Act 153, effective January 1, 2023, expanding several of its provisions.
The office describes its role plainly: its team “helps consumers by informally mediating complaints,” a process that centers on a letter from the Consumer Protection Team to the business named in the complaint (Michigan Consumer Protection). Mediation is not the same as legal representation. When mediation does not resolve the dispute, the Attorney General does not step in as the consumer’s private attorney.
The Act also carries enforcement tools that a single mediated complaint does not trigger but that shape the office’s broader work. The Attorney General can bring a class action for actual damages on behalf of consumers under Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.910, and an individual consumer keeps a separate private right of action for damages or an injunction under Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.911. Filing a complaint with the office and filing a lawsuit are different paths; one does not replace the other.
What to know before you file
A complaint to the Attorney General is not a private letter. Complaints and supporting materials become public records when they reach the office, and under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act some of those materials may be disclosed to anyone who asks (Michigan Attorney General: File a Complaint). A complaint may also be forwarded to the business it names or to other government agencies for review.
Two more points matter before filing. The office does not return submitted documents, so it asks consumers to keep copies and send copies rather than originals. And not every consumer issue is handled by the Attorney General; many other state and federal agencies assist consumers with specific problems. The office maintains a searchable Complaint Directory to point consumers to the agency or division that fits the problem, and it asks that consumers review that directory first (michigan.gov/ag/complaints).
How to file a consumer complaint
A consumer complaint against a business can be filed online or on paper. The choice mostly comes down to whether the complaint includes sensitive information that belongs in the mail.
Check the Complaint Directory first
Before filing, review the Attorney General’s Complaint Directory to confirm the office handles the type of problem. If another agency has authority over the issue, the directory identifies it. If the Attorney General receives a complaint it does not handle, it forwards the complaint to the appropriate agency.
Gather your records
Collect copies of contracts, receipts, advertisements, warranties, and any letters or emails between you and the business. Send copies, not originals, because the office does not return documents. A clear, dated summary of what happened helps the team understand the dispute.
File online or print the form
Use the online Consumer Complaint form to submit the complaint directly, or download the Complaint Print Version (PDF) and mail it in. Both are available on the Attorney General’s File a Complaint page. Consumers with questions can call 517-335-7599, and Michigan residents can also call 877-765-8388.
Submit and keep your file number
When an online complaint is received, the office shows a confirmation screen with an assigned Attorney General file number. Keep that number; it identifies your complaint in any later contact with the office.
What happens after you file
The Consumer Protection Team receives thousands of consumer complaints, so processing a new one can take a few weeks (michigan.gov/ag/complaints). Once the complaint is processed, the office begins its informal mediation: it sends a letter to the business or individual named in the complaint, includes a copy of the complaint and submitted materials, and requests a response.
The office then contacts the consumer in writing after it hears back. If the business or individual does not respond within 30 days, the office re-contacts them about the complaint. In some cases a business refuses to cooperate at all; when that happens, the office confirms the outcome to the consumer in writing.
Mediation resolves many disputes because a letter from the Attorney General’s office prompts a response that a consumer’s own letters did not. It does not guarantee a refund, a repair, or any particular result, and the office cannot force a business to participate.
When another agency handles your complaint
Michigan divides consumer issues among several agencies, and the right complaint destination depends on the problem. The Attorney General’s Complaint Directory lists issues that fall under another authority, including automotive matters, financial services, identity theft, insurance, towing, and utilities (michigan.gov/ag/complaints). Sending a complaint to the agency with jurisdiction usually reaches a decision faster than routing it through an office that must forward it on.
Fraud and scams have a federal channel as well. The Federal Trade Commission collects reports of fraud, scams, and bad business practices through its ReportFraud.ftc.gov portal, and those reports feed a database that federal and state investigators use. A consumer can report to both the FTC and the Michigan Attorney General; the two serve different functions, with the FTC building enforcement data and the state office mediating the individual dispute.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost anything to file a complaint with the Attorney General?
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team accepts consumer complaints through its online form and by mail, and the office presents filing as a public service rather than a paid process (michigan.gov/ag/complaints). A separate court filing fee applies only if a consumer later files a lawsuit, which is a different step from filing a complaint with the office.
Will the Attorney General be my lawyer?
No. The office helps by informally mediating complaints, and it states that if mediation is not successful, the Attorney General cannot act as a private attorney on the consumer’s behalf (Michigan Consumer Protection). Consumers keep an independent right to sue under Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.911, which they pursue on their own or through a private attorney.
What happens if the business ignores the complaint?
The office re-contacts the business if it does not respond within 30 days, and if the business still refuses to cooperate, the office confirms that outcome to the consumer in writing (michigan.gov/ag/complaints). At that point the office notes a consumer may consider small claims court or a private attorney.
Are my complaint and documents kept private?
No. Complaints and supporting materials become public records when submitted, and under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act some materials may be disclosed on request (michigan.gov/ag/complaints). The office advises against including a Social Security number or credit card number unless it is necessary for the investigation.
Should I file with the Michigan Attorney General or the FTC?
The two handle different roles. The Michigan Attorney General mediates an individual dispute with a business under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, while the Federal Trade Commission collects fraud and scam reports through ReportFraud.ftc.gov to support enforcement. A consumer facing a scam can report to both.