Retail issues, landlord disputes and banking problems top the list of consumer complaints received by the New York State Attorney General’s Office last year.

Attorney General Letitia James said the top complaints involve price gouging of infant formula and children’s medications, flight cancellations and the high gasoline prices from last spring and early summer.

“My office receives thousands of consumer complaints every year, and we take each one seriously to stop fraudsters from hurting New Yorkers,” said James in a statement. “From predatory debt collection to price gouging, scammers tried to take advantage of consumers for personal gain, and we took appropriate action to stop it. As always, I urge New Yorkers to stay vigilant and to keep my office informed about potential scams, price gouging, or violations of consumer protection laws.”

Top five complaints in 2022:

• Retail sales: 5,240 complaints. These included price gouging, online purchases, defective merchandise, poor customer service, animal breeders and more. James recommends being aware of online scams with fake websites posing as real brands, and to always pay with a credit or debit card instead of using unfamiliar applications like Venmo, Zelle or a money transfer.

• Landlord/tenant: 3,014. People complained about security deposits, evictions and tenant harassment. The AG’s Office recommended familiarizing yourself with landlord/tenant laws, and to seek out the Department of Social Services if you are having trouble paying your rent.

• Credit, banking and mortgages: 2,834. Complaints included debt collection, credit card billing, payday loans, identify theft, mortgage lending and more. The AG’s Office warned homeowners about companies offering “free” cash for a share of equity in their home or to be their realtor at a later date. There are often strings attached that could result in the loss of your home.

• Consumer services: 2,730. This included COVID 1 testing facilities, alarm companies, storage facilities, restaurants and other such businesses. When it comes to storage facilities, the AG’s Office recommended reading the fine print on any contract to look out for hidden fees. They also suggested reading online reviews of the facility.

• Automobiles: 2,590. People complained about sales, service, financing and repairs. When purchasing a vehicle, you’re advised to read all contracts carefully, and to beware of misleading or tricky sales tactics.

The other types of complaints rounding out the top ten were internet issues, utilities, home repair and improvement, travel and gasoline prices, officials said. Consumers can file a complaint at the website www.ag.ny.gov or by calling 1-800-771-7755.