The New York Attorney General is the state’s chief legal officer, and the office enforces laws on consumer fraud, deceptive business practices, worker rights, civil rights, tenant and homeowner protections, health care billing, and charitable organizations. If a business, employer, landlord, or provider has wronged you in a way that fits one of those areas, you can file a complaint through the office’s online portal or by calling 1-800-771-7755.1New York State Attorney General. Contact Attorney General Letitia James What follows walks through what the office handles, what it doesn’t, and how to file.
Who Runs the Office
Letitia James is the 67th Attorney General of New York and the first woman to hold the position. She was elected in 2018, took office in January 2019, and won re-election in 2022.2New York State Attorney General. Meet Letitia James The office employs more than 1,700 staff, including over 700 assistant attorneys general, working from the Albany headquarters and 13 regional offices across the state.3New York State Attorney General. About the Office
The Attorney General is elected to a four-year term and directs the state’s enforcement priorities. Practically, that means the office decides which patterns of misconduct to investigate, which industries to pressure, and which cases to bring in court on behalf of New Yorkers as a whole.
Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices
General Business Law section 349 outlaws deceptive business practices. It gives the AG authority to seek court orders stopping those practices and recovering money for affected consumers, and it also lets individual consumers sue on their own for actual damages or $50, whichever is greater.4New York State Senate. New York Code GBS 349 – Deceptive Acts or Practices Unlawful Section 350 covers false advertising specifically.5New York State Senate. New York Code GBS 350-D – Civil Penalty
The Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau is where most individual complaints land. Its mediation program resolves more than 12,500 disputes a year, producing refunds and changes in how businesses operate.6New York State Attorney General. Consumer Issues When a business shows a repeated pattern of fraud rather than a single mistake, the office can go further and use Executive Law § 63(12) to seek restitution in state Supreme Court and even cancel the business’s operating certificate.7New York State Senate. New York Code EXC 63 – General Duties
Workers and Wage Theft
The Labor Bureau investigates wage theft, overtime violations, withheld benefits, and retaliation against workers who complain. Recent settlements include $16.75 million from DoorDash for cheating delivery workers, $1.5 million from a cleaning company, and $1.1 million for Rikers Island cleaners denied fair pay.8New York State Attorney General. Workers’ Rights
The bureau focuses on repeated or systemic violations rather than one-off paycheck disputes. If an employer is short-changing workers across the board, this is the office that steps in. Employers cannot legally retaliate against workers for filing a complaint, including through termination, schedule changes, or immigration threats. New York workers also have specific leave entitlements the AG helps enforce: up to 12 weeks of paid family leave, 40 or 56 hours of paid sick leave a year depending on employer size, and 20 hours of separate paid prenatal care leave for pregnant employees.9New York State Attorney General. Employees’ Rights in the Workplace
Tenants and Homeowners
For homeowners, the Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP) funds nearly 90 legal services and housing counseling organizations across the state, with more than $150 million invested since 2012. The help is free and covers loan modification applications, foreclosure settlement conferences, and homeownership counseling. Reach a HOPP provider at 1-855-466-3456.10New York State Attorney General. Homeowners
For renters, the office mediates security deposit disputes. Landlords can deduct only for unpaid rent or tenant-caused damage. When a building is sold, the prior landlord must either return deposits or transfer them to the new owner within five days and notify tenants by registered or certified mail.11New York State Attorney General. Recovering Rent Security Deposits and Interest If your building is being converted to a co-op or condo, every tenant of record must receive a copy of the offering plan, and you can verify whether a plan has been filed by calling 212-416-8122.12New York State Attorney General. Cooperatives
Surprise Medical Bills
The Health Care Bureau handles complaints about improper medical billing. Under state and federal protections, providers generally cannot bill you more than your in-network cost-sharing when you receive emergency care, are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility, or use an air ambulance. Providers must post a one-page notice of your rights on their premises and website.13New York State Attorney General. Surprise Medical Billing
If you’re uninsured, you have the right to a good-faith estimate before non-emergency services. When the actual bill exceeds that estimate by more than $400, you can dispute it within 120 days. Insured patients who receive an improper surprise bill can appeal to their health plan and, if that fails, request an independent external review.13New York State Attorney General. Surprise Medical Billing
Civil Rights and Deaths Caused by Police
The office investigates discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, and other protected characteristics, including employment discrimination, housing bias, and patterns of misconduct by law enforcement.14New York State Attorney General. Civil Rights Individual discrimination complaints also go through the New York State Division of Human Rights, a separate agency. The AG typically steps in when there’s a broader pattern rather than a single incident.
The Office of Special Investigation, created under Executive Law § 70-b, has mandatory jurisdiction to investigate every death in New York that may have been caused by a police officer or peace officer, whether the person was in custody or not. If the office concludes an officer caused a death, it can present evidence to a grand jury and, on indictment, prosecute the case directly, superseding the local district attorney.15New York State Senate. New York Code EXC 70-B – Office of Special Investigation
Charities and Nonprofits
The Charities Bureau regulates nonprofits and professional fundraisers operating in New York. Charitable organizations must register with the AG’s office and file annual financial reports. The bureau investigates misuse of charitable assets and maintains a public registry you can check before donating.16New York State Attorney General. Charities, Nonprofits and Fundraisers
What the Office Cannot Do for You
The AG’s office cannot act as your personal lawyer. It will not represent you in court as a private individual, give you legal advice, or refer you to an attorney.17New York State Attorney General. Find Legal Services The office represents New Yorkers collectively, so it gets involved when a problem affects the public broadly, not to resolve one individual dispute the way a private lawyer would.
Criminal jurisdiction is limited too. Day-to-day criminal prosecution belongs to your county’s district attorney. The AG handles statewide matters such as complex financial crimes that cross county lines, organized crime, Medicaid fraud, and police-involved deaths through its specialized units.18New York State Attorney General. Criminal Justice Division Local crimes go to the DA.
How to File a Complaint
Most complaints start on the AG’s website, where separate intake forms exist for consumer fraud, health care billing, civil rights, and worker rights.19New York State Attorney General. File a Complaint The Consumer Frauds complaint form lets you upload supporting documents and describe the business involved.20New York State Attorney General. Consumer Frauds Complaint Form You can also mail a paper complaint to the Bureau of Consumer Frauds and Protection at the Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341, or call 1-800-771-7755 with questions before filing.1New York State Attorney General. Contact Attorney General Letitia James
Before you start, gather:
- Business details: the company’s full legal name, physical address, and the names of any employees involved.
- Financial records: receipts, contracts, bank statements, and canceled checks showing what you paid and when.
- Communications: emails, letters, and text messages organized by date, especially anything showing your attempts to resolve the problem directly.
- A clear timeline: specific dates, dollar amounts, and a factual description of what happened. Leave out the frustration and stick to what occurred.
If you want the office to contact the business on your behalf or seek a refund for you, include your own contact information in the complaint.20New York State Attorney General. Consumer Frauds Complaint Form
What Happens After You File
The office reviews each complaint to decide whether it warrants mediation, a formal investigation, or neither. Not every submission becomes a case, but each one feeds the data the office uses to spot patterns. When a dozen people complain about the same company, enforcement action becomes more likely.
You can check the status of your complaint through the online submission status request form. Wait at least three weeks after filing before requesting an update, and have your complaint number handy or the approximate date you filed. If you submitted more than one complaint, check on each separately.21New York State Attorney General. Submission Status Request
Mediation is voluntary, so the business has to agree to participate. When businesses cooperate, disputes tend to move quickly. When they don’t, the complaint may be escalated to the AG’s enforcement team, depending on the severity and scope of what happened.