Group ranks top 10 consumer complaints

In this Monday, June 11, 2012 photo, Assistant Attorney General David Kirkman holds checks of the type often received by targets in his Raleigh, N.C., office. The recipient forwarded them to his office. Kirkman said sometimes the checks carry the names and account numbers of legitimate companies, and by the time a bank confirms they're bogus, the victim has usually sent the amount to the scammer via wire and ends up on the hook for the money. He also said the amount of money swindled from North Carolinians by these scams has doubled in the past year. (AP Photo/Allen Breed) — **10. Fraud (tie)** Beware bogus sweepstakes and lotteries, work-at-home schemes, fake-check scams and other types of common fraud. In this Monday, June 11, 2012 photo, Assistant Attorney General David Kirkman holds checks of the type often received by targets in his Raleigh, N.C., office. (AP FILE Photo/Allen Breed)

Be careful of ransomware. (Thinkstock) — **10. Internet sales (tie)** Consumers may be getting more web-savvy. Complaints involving internet sales — including deceptive sales practices and failing to deliver online purchases — fell slightly last year. (Thinkstock)

An image of vitamin pills. (Thinkstock) — **9. Health products/services** Too good to be true? Consumers filed complaints with state and local agencies citing misleading claims, unlicensed practitioners and failing to deliver. (Thinkstock)

NEW YORK - JULY 18: Customers look at Maytag and Whirlpool washers and dryers July 18, 2005 in New York City. Whirlpool on Sunday offered to buy Maytag, the maker of Hoover vacuum cleaners and Amana appliances, for $1.3 billion, out-bidding the $1.125 billion pact with private equity firm Ripplewood and possibly sparking a bid war between the companies. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) — **8. Household goods** Stiffed by your blender repairman? Complaints about household goods were on the rise last year and include misrepresenting services, failing to deliver and faulty repairs in connection with furniture and appliances. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Apartment for rent sign displayed on residential street. Shows demand for housing, rental market, landlord-tenant relations. (Thinkstock) — **7. Landlord/tenant** Renters reported their landlords for unhealthy or unsafe conditions, failing to make repairs or provide amenities and over rent disputes and illegal eviction tactics. (Thinkstock)

Someone filling out a complaint registration form. (Thinkstock) — **6. Services** This catch-all category in the consumer survey included misrepresentations, shoddy work, service providers who lacked the proper licenses and a failure to perform work. (Thinkstock)

In this Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, photo, shoppers walk along Lincoln Road Mall, a pedestrian area featuring retail shops and restaurants in Miami Beach, Fla. On Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, the Labor Department reports on consumer prices for January. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) — **5. Retail services** Shoppers flagged false advertising and other deceptive retail practices, damaged or defective merchandise, and hassles over coupons, rebates and gift cards. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

FILE - This Nov. 18, 2009, file photo, shows credit and bank cards with electronic chips in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. On Friday, July 8, 2016, the Federal Reserve releases its May report on consumer borrowing. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) — **4. Credit/debt** Many consumers had a bone to pick with their credit card companies over billing and fee disputes, predatory lending, mortgage modifications and abusive debt collection tactics. (AP FILE Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

Energy efficient CFL bulb on electric bill. Energy efficient house concept. — **3. Utilities** It’s no secret many consumers are fed up with super-slow internet service or expensive charges mysteriously showing up on their cellphone bill. Complaints about utilities, such as phone, cable, electric and gas services, climbed up last year, according to the survey. (Thinkstock)

In this Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016, photo, a man installs a roof on a new home under construction in Atlanta. On Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo releases its February index of builder sentiment. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) — **2. Home improvement/construction** Stuck with shoddy work or a contractor who never completed — or even started — a job? You’re not alone. State and local agencies received the second highest number of complaints about home improvement and construction services. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, file photo, a row of new Ford Fusions are for sale on the lot at Butler County Ford in Butler, Pa. May is usually one of the strongest months of the year for the U.S. auto industry, as Americans buy cars ahead of summer road trips. But in May 2016, U.S. auto sales were expected to drop 6 percent to 1.53 million cars and trucks, according to car shopping site Kelley Blue Book. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File) — **1. Auto** Complaints dealing with automobiles topped the list — as they have for the past five years. These types of complaints include everything from misrepresentations in advertising and sales to faulty repairs and towing disputes. (AP FILE Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

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WASHINGTON — Gripes over cars that turn out to be clunkers, shoddy home improvement projects and billing disputes with utility companies topped the annual list of the most common consumer complaints filed with state and local consumer protection agencies.

Meanwhile, scams involving fraudsters posing as Internal Revenue Service agents or your utility company were among the fastest-growing complaints last year, according to the new survey, released Wednesday by the Consumer Federation of America and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators organization.

The survey included statistics from 33 consumer agencies from 21 states. Those agencies received more than 200,000 complaints last year.

Also, the report includes new types of complaints flagged by state and local consumer agencies, including the use of iTunes gift cards by fraudsters as a method of payment and crowdfunding investments that failed to pan out.

Read the full report below:

2016 Top 10 Complaints Report