By Samantha Paul A Virginia family pays for a home service that is not delivered. A towing charge appears improper, or prices jump sharply following a declared emergency. The state Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Section offers a way to report possible violations and, in suitable disputes, may help consumers and businesses communicate. But Virginia’s system is not a universal complaint desk: regulated industries, fuel-price gouging and private person-to-person disputes may require different agencies.
The current Attorney General changed in 2026. This guide identifies the correct officeholder, official Richmond contacts and the filing steps Virginia instructs consumers to follow.
Who Is the Current Attorney General of Virginia?
As of October 2026, Jay Jones is the Attorney General of Virginia. He became the Commonwealth’s 49th attorney general in January 2026. The official Attorney General website and its October 2026 announcements identify him as the current officeholder; older consumer materials may still carry a former administration’s name.
The Attorney General represents the Commonwealth and its government agencies, enforces various state laws and oversees a Consumer Protection Section. That section accepts eligible complaints involving goods and services bought for personal, household or family use, but the office does not act as a private attorney for individuals.
Virginia Attorney General Contact Numbers
Virginia lists both a general office number and consumer-only channels. Call the consumer hotline for questions about filing a business complaint:
Attorney General main office: (804) 786-2071 — general state legal and administrative business.
Consumer Protection Hotline in Virginia: 1-800-552-9963 — assistance for callers within Virginia.
Richmond-area or out-of-state consumer line: (804) 786-2042 — Consumer Protection Section.
Consumer Protection email: consumer@oag.state.va.us — official consumer contact route.
Consumer complaint fax: (804) 225-4378 — completed consumer complaint forms.
General correspondence email: mailoag@oag.state.va.us — general constituent inquiries.
Virginia Attorney General Office Address
Attorney General main office: Office of the Attorney General, 202 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
Consumer complaint mailing address: Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, Consumer Protection Section, 202 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
The Consumer Protection Section uses the Attorney General’s Richmond street address, but its own complaint form and fax route. Office hours for the consumer hotline are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
How to File a Complaint With the Virginia Attorney General
For a consumer complaint, use the designated intake process below rather than a general office inquiry. Other allegation types may require separate agencies or forms.
Step 1: Check which agency is responsible
Begin at https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumer-Protection/index.php/file-a-complaint. Virginia offers an Agency Search tool and topic-specific guidance for banks, insurance, landlord–tenant disputes, towing, utilities and other issues. The Attorney General’s consumer unit generally handles goods or services intended for personal, family or home use, not ordinary business-to-business transactions or private disputes with no merchant involved.
Step 2: Use the online complaint form when possible
Virginia calls the online consumer form its fastest route. From the File a Complaint page, select Online Complaint Form and follow its multi-step prompts. Before starting, prepare a brief chronology, business details and electronic copies of records. The form requires review of instructions and ends with an acknowledgment of its terms and a confirmation number after successful submission.
Step 3: Explain what you want and attach copies
State the company name, dates, price paid, representations made, what went wrong and the specific resolution requested. Attach legible photocopies or scans of contracts, invoices, advertisements and correspondence. Virginia says to submit supporting papers together rather than piecemeal, and never mail originals. Keep sensitive identifiers out unless necessary.
Step 4: Use the signed paper form if online filing is unavailable
Download the printable form from the official File a Complaint page, complete it legibly, sign and date it, and mail it to Consumer Protection Section, 202 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219; or fax it to (804) 225-4378. The office warns it returns unsigned forms. A general inquiry sent through the Consumer Protection contact form is not a formal filed complaint.
Step 5: Choose special forms where Virginia requires them
Virginia has separate printable forms for towing and price gouging. Motor-fuel price gouging complaints go to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Weights and Measures, rather than the Attorney General’s ordinary consumer intake. When in doubt, ask the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-552-9963 before filing.
What Happens After You File a Complaint?
Virginia reviews incoming complaints and contacts the consumer when information is missing. When it has jurisdiction, it typically sends the complaint to the business for a response. For disputes that do not appear to violate consumer protection law, the office may offer voluntary alternative dispute resolution, acting as a neutral intermediary rather than taking sides. It may forward an issue to another agency when appropriate.
If the evidence points to a broader pattern of unlawful conduct, the matter may be reviewed for possible enforcement. An individual complainant is not guaranteed a refund or a lawsuit. If mediation fails, the office may explain available options, and consumers should seek private legal guidance before applicable filing deadlines expire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is emailing Virginia’s Consumer Protection Unit the same as filing a complaint?
No. The unit’s contact form specifically says it does not count as a formal consumer complaint. Use the online complaint application or signed printable complaint form.
Q. Can I file a complaint about a sale between two private individuals?
The complaint instructions say the section generally lacks jurisdiction over transactions between private persons when no business or merchant is involved. Consider an appropriate civil or law-enforcement route depending on the facts.
Q. Where do I report unusually high gasoline prices during a declared emergency?
Virginia directs motor-fuel price gouging complaints to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Weights and Measures. Its consumer page links to that agency’s special form.
Q. What if my printed complaint is not signed?
The office warns that unsigned printed complaints will be returned for a signature. Sign and date the form and mail all relevant supporting copies together to avoid delays.