Used-Car Complaints Top Illinois Attorney General's New Consumer List

This Illinois update is current for the week of March 9, 2026. This kind of list travels quickly because it turns broad consumer anxiety into a concrete warning about the transactions Illinois residents are struggling with most.

What happened

Attorney General Kwame Raoul said on March 2, 2026 that used motor vehicle sales complaints moved to the top of Illinois' consumer complaint list for the first time in more than three decades. The office also reported increases in consumer-debt complaints and said it received 19,763 written complaints in 2025.

Why Illinois readers may care

• Used-car purchases remain one of the biggest household expenses where bad financing, hidden defects, and warranty confusion can blow up budgets fast.

• The complaint list gives Illinois residents a sharper picture of where scams, pressure tactics, or unresolved disputes are concentrated.

• It also shows which fraud-prevention topics the attorney general is likely to emphasize in consumer education this spring.

What to watch next

• Expect more consumer-protection messaging on used-vehicle buying, dealership research, and financing terms.

• Illinois shoppers may want to review complaint histories and inspection steps more carefully before signing used-car paperwork.

• The office's mediation and enforcement numbers will likely keep being used to justify stronger consumer enforcement messaging this year.

Source

• Illinois Attorney General (March 2, 2026)