Illinois Consumer Services

The Department of Consumer Services protects the Chicago, Illinois public from fraud and unfair practices. The focus is on issues that impact the everyday lives of Chicago residents from making sure that you are not overcharged at the gas pump or in grocery and retail stores, to taxicabs. They also work to safeguard Chicago residents from becoming victims of scams involving home repair, auto repair or immigration assistance. The Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Services says their goal is to prevent consumers from becoming victims of fraud. Quoting the Commissioner, "We work to achieve that goal in two ways, by making consumers more informed about their rights and how to recognize potential scams, and through active enforcement which puts unscrupulous businesses on notice that if they break the law we will take action."

The fight against inaccurate the gas pumps is being won by the Chicago inspectors with new technology that allows them to conduct more testing each year. The latest statistics show that only 100 of over 19,000 pump inspections failed because of inaccurate readings of how much gas was actually pumped and therefore how much you really paid per gallon. The inspectors also checked to see if the posted price was the same as the pump price.

The scanning devices in grocery stores are also being inspected to see that the advertised price is the same as the scanned price. While in the store the inspectors check that pre-packaged meat show the correct weight, and meat and produce scales are accurate. The Chicago inspectors do more than 10,000 inspections in a year. Many of these inspections are undercover, giving the retailer no warning before hand so he can not correct the scanners or get packaging off the shelves before the inspector arrives.

Home repair fraud is one of the top complaints received by the City each year. The usual complaint is work that was not completed or done properly. This type of complaint is handled by a specially trained staff that inspects the quality of the repair work and if they agree with your complaint, takes action against contractors.

Complaints about improper auto repair ranks right up next to home repair. Many of these complaints are about unlicensed garages who set up shop in neighborhood garages. Others involve licensed shops that make improper repairs, inflate bills, or use poor quality replacement parts. The unlicensed shops are shut down and the licensed shops cited for anti-fraud violations

Immigration fraud is another problem handled by the Department of Consumer Services. In Chicago, immigration consultants are required to register with the Department of Consumer Services. The services fees are capped and must be posted. Consultants who are not licensed attorneys are prohibited from providing legal services.

Another important function of the Department of Consumer Services to Chicago residents is the regulation of taxicabs. In an average year, more than 25,000 vehicle safety inspections and 150,000 visual spot inspections take place. In addition, all licensed cab drivers are required to attend a retraining course every two years. Additionally, drivers are ordered to take even more retraining if they are cited with breaking any of the regulations governing taxicabs or if they are convicted of a moving violation.