Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs reports spike in complaints; warns of robocalls and AI-driven filings
February 17, 2026 | 2026 Legislature TN, Tennessee
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Claire Marcellus, director of the Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs, presented the division's 2025 activity to the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, describing a sustained increase in complaint volume and new trends that are reshaping DCA's caseload.
Marcellus reported that DCA took in 9,938 complaints in 2025, a 16% increase from the prior year, and that the division recovered over $3,600,000 in cash and services for complainants. She attributed part of the rise to federal regulator shutdowns that pushed consumers to state agencies and to increased use of artificial-intelligence tools: "We are beginning to see more and more folks say, chat GPT told me to file a complaint with you," she said, noting many complaints submitted through AI-based templates.
Top complaint categories included home improvements and home warranties, internet sales (with a noted uptick in fake dealership websites), and debtor-creditor issues including credit-reporting and payday-loan complaints. Marcellus said the division refers matters to more than 40 federal and state agencies when appropriate and coordinates with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, FTC, TBI, FBI and district attorneys on enforcement.
The division also highlighted education and outreach: DCA fielded more than 14,000 consumer calls, 4,000 emails and completed 44 educational presentations statewide in 2025, focusing on seniors and other vulnerable populations.
On robocalls and do-not-call enforcement, Marcellus advised consumers to avoid answering unknown numbers, to use carrier and device blocking tools and to allow suspicious calls to go to voicemail to reduce the risk of being targeted by high-pressure scammers.
The report will be available to members and DCA staff said it can provide printed copies and further detail on category breakdowns.
Marcellus reported that DCA took in 9,938 complaints in 2025, a 16% increase from the prior year, and that the division recovered over $3,600,000 in cash and services for complainants. She attributed part of the rise to federal regulator shutdowns that pushed consumers to state agencies and to increased use of artificial-intelligence tools: "We are beginning to see more and more folks say, chat GPT told me to file a complaint with you," she said, noting many complaints submitted through AI-based templates.
Top complaint categories included home improvements and home warranties, internet sales (with a noted uptick in fake dealership websites), and debtor-creditor issues including credit-reporting and payday-loan complaints. Marcellus said the division refers matters to more than 40 federal and state agencies when appropriate and coordinates with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, FTC, TBI, FBI and district attorneys on enforcement.
The division also highlighted education and outreach: DCA fielded more than 14,000 consumer calls, 4,000 emails and completed 44 educational presentations statewide in 2025, focusing on seniors and other vulnerable populations.
On robocalls and do-not-call enforcement, Marcellus advised consumers to avoid answering unknown numbers, to use carrier and device blocking tools and to allow suspicious calls to go to voicemail to reduce the risk of being targeted by high-pressure scammers.
The report will be available to members and DCA staff said it can provide printed copies and further detail on category breakdowns.
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