Consumer complaints filed with the state agency rose 37% over the same period last year, with vehicles, real estate and contractors topping the list.
Based on a release from S.C. Dept. of Consumer Affairs.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs recovered approximately $853,364 for consumers between January 1 and June 30, 2026, according to SCDCA.
The agency received 4,309 complaints during that six-month period, about 37% higher than the 3,137 complaints received during the same period in 2025, according to SCDCA.
The top complaint categories so far in 2026 were vehicles with 869 complaints, real estate with 745 complaints and contractors with 333 complaints, according to SCDCA. The agency said those categories are similar to top complaint categories nationwide during 2025, as featured in the Consumer Federation of America’s 2025 Consumer Complaint Survey Report.
For all of 2025, consumers filed 6,904 complaints with SCDCA, the most in more than 15 years, according to the agency. SCDCA recovered or saved $1,578,902 for consumers through the complaint process that year.
Among the cases highlighted by SCDCA was a consumer who ordered a bed frame in 2022 but instead received an incomplete sectional sofa delivered in multiple boxes. After filing a complaint with SCDCA in October 2025, the consumer received a full refund of $2,158.27 within 60 days, according to the agency.
SCDCA also cited other recent efforts, including a series of webinars for regulated industries on compliance topics, a commemorative journal marking the agency’s 50th anniversary, and a new resource for law enforcement officers to help identity theft victims access scam recovery information.
SCDCA will host a free webinar on Wednesday, July 29 at 10:30 a.m. covering the voluntary mediation process and the types of complaints it most commonly receives, according to the agency.
Consumers can file complaints regarding products or services purchased for personal, family or household use at consumer.sc.gov, according to SCDCA. The agency’s website also includes a tool to search for complaints filed against specific businesses.
