Attorney General Kris Mayes announced that her office recovered over $4 million for Arizona consumers in 2025, addressing losses caused by fraud, scams, and deceptive business practices. The announcement coincides with the start of National Consumer Protection Week, which runs from March 1-7.
“My office fights every day to protect Arizonans from fraud and deceptive practices, and recovering more than $4 million for consumers last year is just part of the work we are doing to help Arizonans,” said Attorney General Mayes. “But the threat is evolving and scammers are now using artificial intelligence to clone voices, create fake videos, and craft messages that are nearly impossible to distinguish from the real thing. It is critical that Arizonans educate themselves and remain vigilant against scams.”
The Attorney General’s Consumer Information and Complaints Unit received close to 21,000 consumer complaints in 2025. Staff took nearly 29,000 phone calls and reviewed over 26,000 emails from constituents. The funds were recovered through direct resolution efforts between consumers and businesses.
“Consumer Protection Week is a reminder that when Arizonans know their rights and stay vigilant, they can protect themselves from being scammed,” continued Mayes “But there is nothing to be ashamed of you have been scammed, it can happen to anybody. I encourage anyone who believes they’ve been victimized to contact our office, we’re here to help.”
The top five complaint categories in 2025 included motor vehicle sales and repairs; internet-related scams; mortgage and real estate issues; telemarketing or unsolicited calls; and telecommunications services. These areas generated the most reports of fraudulent or deceptive conduct.
Residents are advised on several ways to avoid falling victim to scams:
– Request full cost breakdowns before signing vehicle contracts.
– Avoid clicking links in unsolicited electronic communications.
– Verify sellers’ reputations before making online purchases.
– Take time reviewing mortgage documents without pressure.
– Hang up on callers demanding immediate payment or threatening arrest.
– Ask about promotional rates when subscribing for telecom services.
Mayes warned about an increase in artificial intelligence-powered scams: voice cloning may be used by scammers pretending to be family members in trouble; AI-generated images or videos (deepfakes) could solicit money or information; phishing attempts may look more convincing due to improved language quality enabled by AI technology. She recommended creating family code words for emergencies and emphasized verifying requests independently before acting.
If individuals believe they have been affected by consumer fraud, they can file a complaint via the Attorney General’s website or contact regional offices directly.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office provides legal protection statewide as Arizona’s primary legal entity [source]. Its responsibilities include addressing elder abuse cases, civil rights violations, cold cases [source], participating in federal lawsuits, supporting fair housing initiatives [source], holding social media companies accountable [source], among other advocacy measures [source]. Kris Mayes serves as Arizona’s 27th attorney general—the first mother in this role [source].