(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper released data concerning consumer complaints for 2010. According the the information released on Monday, a total of 21,879 consumers filed complaints with the Consumer Protection Division of Attorney General Roy Cooper’s Office in 2010.

While the overall number of complaints filed was down slightly from the 22,665 complaints received during the previous year, North Carolina consumers continue to identify problems in key areas in 2010. For the sixth year in a row, health care complaints topped the list. A total of 4,605 consumers filed health care related complaints in 2010, compared to 4,371 complaints in 2009. Complaints about lending, the second leading source of complaints, were also up, with 3,909 complaints in 2010 compared to 3,357 in 2009. At number three, complaints about Do Not Call violators held steady at roughly 2,500 complaints. Complaints about telemarketing fraud, collections and credit, motor vehicles, home furnishings, home repair, television services, and telecommunications rounded out the top ten.

Cooper encouraged consumers to learn about the top sources of complaints as a way to avoid costly problems. “We want to hear from consumers who don’t get what they paid for or encounter a scam. Better yet, we’d like to help you stay out of trouble by warning you about common consumer problems,” said Cooper.

The detailed list of  the top ten consumer complaints in 2010 can be found on-line at: The State Attorney General's website.