Student Loan Scams, Identity Theft Among Top Consumer Complaints In Illinois
(CBS) -- 40 million Americans hold more than a trillion dollars in student loan debt and for the first time, student loan debt scams are one of the top consumer complaints in Illinois.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says her office has received 25,094 consumer complaints in 2015. Madigan says those numbers are up from years past because people can now go online to file complaints.
In the top ten this year: consumer debt, identity theft and 1,500 complains about fraudulent student loans.
"These complaints reflect the very significant and troubling issues in our higher education field today," Madigan says. "Student loan debt is now the largest form of unsecured debt in the United States."
Also on the list: telecommunication, construction and motor vehicle scams.