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Part of Consumer complaints and investigations

Report a Rip-off

Call our phone line to anonymously report suspicious activities in the Alberta marketplace.

You can report any suspicious consumer transaction as an anonymous tip.

Report a Rip-off phone line:
Phone: 1-877-427-4088 (toll-free in Alberta)


Overview

Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction’s Consumer Investigations Unit (CIU) accepts and reviews consumer complaints, and investigates potential violations of consumer protection laws.

The Report a Rip-off phone line is an easy way for you to anonymously report suspicious or potentially illegal activities in the marketplace. Report concerns about your own experiences, or about activities you have seen or heard.

The phone line is not a dispute resolution tool, nor will the information reported through this channel necessarily lead to a formal follow-up contact or investigation.

What you can report

Use the phone line to report your suspicions that:

  • Individuals or businesses may be:
    • operating and providing services without appropriate licences
    • offering services without or with incomplete contracts
    • offering services with inflated or extreme fees
  • Your employer or other businesses may be involved in unfair consumer practices like:
    • undue pressure
    • false advertising
    • misleading promises
  • Consumer-business transactions like:
    • hearing about a business that took money but didn’t do the work
    • encountering a business that’s sharing unsolicited estimates
    • donation rip-offs

Filing complaints

If you believe you have more information to share about unfair practices or financial losses related to consumer transactions, you can file a consumer complaint against a business. All complaints are assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine an appropriate course of action for addressing the issue. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.

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