State and local agencies are vital components of the consumer protection system in the United States. The issues they deal with run the gamete from sleazy auto sales to shoddy home improvement work, bare-knuckled debt collection tactics to bogus health products and services, fraud on the Internet to gouging at the gas pump.

Unlike most federal agencies, state and local consumer agencies usually try to mediate individual complaints. Many of them also have administrative, civil and/or criminal authority to stop abuses and recover money for consumers. Some also accept complaints from businesses. All provide advice and education about consumers’ rights and businesses’ responsibilities.

In addition to curbing unfair and deceptive practices, state and local consumer agencies protect the public health from bogus medical products or services and unlicensed practitioners. Since they operate “where the rubber meets the road,” these agencies are often the first to hear about unfair and deceptive practices and the quickest to take action.

To provide a national snapshot of the challenges faced by consumers and state and local consumer agencies, Consumer Federation of America periodically conducts surveys in cooperation with the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators. This report is based on surveying 33 state, county, and city agencies from 18 states across America. The surveys cover a one-year period, in most cases January through December 2009.  Unfortunately, the trend that we reported from last survey continues: at many agencies, complaints went up in 2009 and the resources to help consumers went down.