How to Report an Illegal Business in Maryland
- 1). Compile all relevant documents. The Maryland Attorney General can investigate your claim whether you are a Maryland resident or a non-resident who engaged in business with a Maryland corporation. If you have receipts, invoices, sales slips, contracts or any other documents created in dealing with the business, be sure to make copies of everything and keep them in a safe place.
- 2). Choose the type of complaint form that best suits your needs. Maryland offers a selection of complaint forms depending on the type of illegal business you have dealt with. There is a general complaint selection as well as new car and auto repair complaints. New home, builder and landlord complaints are available as well. In addition, if you have a complaint against a health-care provider or something related to the health-care field, a form is available for that grievance as well.
- 3). Fill out all fields on the complaint form. You must provide your contact information as well as the contact information for the alleged illegal business. If you have dealt with the business personally, you must provide details of your experience with the business. You may provide your recommended course of action. You have the option of filling the form out online and uploading it to the Attorney General's server or you may contact the Office directly for a hard copy to be mailed to you.
- 4). Mail your forms and relevant documentation to the Consumer Protection Bureau. Regardless of whether you filed online or on a hard copy, you must mail a printed version of the form along with copies of relevant documentation to the Consumer Protection Office. Once filed, the Consumer Protection Office will review your claim to ensure it is the appropriate agency to deal with the dispute. An attempt at mediation will be offered. If one or both parties is unwilling to participate in mediation, you may opt to participate in Maryland's Arbitration Program. If arbitration is unsuccessful, you may have to resort to filing a personal lawsuit against the business.
- 5). Report the business to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is the federal-level consumer protection bureau. In order to obtain an FTC investigation into your claim, you must fill out a form much like the Maryland form. However, the FTC does not resolve individual consumer complaints. Your information will be entered into a nationwide database for use by federal and state protection agencies. Should this business damage or injure any other parties, your allegations will be recorded and stored nationally.
