By Samantha Paul A caller says a missed court appearance will lead to arrest unless a payment is sent immediately. A home-repair contractor keeps a deposit but leaves the work unfinished. Both situations can raise consumer-protection concerns in South Dakota, although the route for reporting a scam is different from seeking private compensation. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division receives reports of suspected deceptive trade practices and can investigate conduct affecting the public.
This guide gives the 2026 officeholder’s name, the correct Pierre office and consumer contact details, and the practical steps for filing a complaint without confusing a state investigation with an individual lawsuit.
Who Is the Current Attorney General of South Dakota?
As of October, 2026, Marty Jackley is the Attorney General of South Dakota. He returned to the office in January 2023 after winning the 2022 election; he had previously served as attorney general from 2009 to 2019. The state’s official website and 2026 news releases identify him as the current officeholder.
The Attorney General leads statewide legal and enforcement work, including the Division of Consumer Protection. That division addresses alleged scams, misleading advertising, questionable retail and contractor practices, and other commercial misconduct. The office represents the public interest; by law, it cannot advise a resident as a private lawyer.
South Dakota Attorney General Contact Numbers
South Dakota publishes separate numbers for ordinary Attorney General business and consumer concerns. Use the Consumer Protection Division for an alleged scam or business complaint:
- Main Attorney General office: (605) 773-3215 — routine official business.
- Consumer Protection Division: (605) 773-4400 — filing assistance and consumer complaints.
- In-state consumer help line: 1-800-300-1986 — toll-free for South Dakota callers.
- Consumer Protection email: consumerhelp@state.sd.us — questions and consumer correspondence.
- Consumer Protection fax: (605) 773-7163 — the published division fax number.
- Main office fax: (605) 773-4106 — for general office correspondence.
South Dakota Attorney General Office Address
Attorney General main office: Office of the Attorney General, 1302 S.D. E. Highway 1889, Suite 1, Pierre, SD 57501-8501.
Consumer Protection Division: 1302 S.D. E. Highway 1889, Suite 3, Pierre, SD 57501-8501.
The division and the Attorney General share a Pierre complex but use different suite numbers. A consumer complaint belongs with Suite 3. For general inquiries, the main office says it responds in writing or by email and does not open unsolicited email attachments for security reasons.
How to File a Complaint With the South Dakota 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: Open the official consumer form
Visit https://atg.sd.gov/complaintform.aspx or enter through https://consumer.sd.gov/. The state provides a formal online consumer complaint rather than requiring residents to send a general message to the Attorney General. The division may investigate deceptive or misleading business practices and bring public enforcement actions.
Step 2: Identify both parties and the transaction
Enter your name and contact details, then the business or person you are reporting and the company’s location. The form asks how the transaction began, where it occurred, its date, whether a contract was signed, whether the matter concerns a product or service, the total price and the amount already paid. Explain which representations or actions you believe were misleading.
Step 3: Describe prior attempts to resolve the problem
South Dakota’s form asks whether you contacted the firm, sought cancellation, retained an attorney or reported the problem to another agency. Provide dates and a concise timeline of what happened, the response you received and the result you seek. Distinguish what you personally observed from suspicions about a business’s motives.
Step 4: Attach relevant documents and authorize sharing
Upload the most useful contracts, receipts, advertising or correspondence. The online form specifies DOC, DOCX or PDF attachments and a maximum file size of 5 MB. Its declarations authorize the division to share the complaint with the business and obtain related account information. Review that consent carefully; omit unnecessary identity documents and account numbers.
Step 5: Submit and retain a complete copy
Sign and date the declaration electronically as requested. Save the description, any acknowledgment and the documents you supplied. If the online route is inaccessible, call (605) 773-4400 to ask the division how to provide the complaint through an alternative channel. Do not substitute the general Attorney General contact form for the consumer complaint.
What Happens After You File a Complaint?
The division can screen the information, communicate with the business, attempt to assist with resolution and investigate allegations suggesting broader violations. In consumer-protection matters it may pursue public enforcement. The complaint form asks whether you would be willing to testify, because documented evidence may matter if a case develops. It does not mean that every report will become a prosecution.
Neither the Attorney General nor division staff can act as your private attorney or guarantee that the business will return your money. An unresolved individual claim may require a credit-card dispute, a civil claim or advice from private counsel. Filing with the state does not extend an otherwise applicable legal deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can the company see what I send?
Yes. The consumer form includes express consent for the division to send the complaint to the person or company named and to obtain account information. Assume the business may read the factual narrative and attachments submitted for review.
Q. What is the maximum size for an uploaded document?
The state form specifies a 5 MB maximum and accepts DOC, DOCX or PDF files. Combine or reduce documents carefully while keeping the relevant pages legible, or ask the division how to supply additional materials.
Q. Should I email documents to the Attorney General’s general inbox?
The main office warns that it does not open unsolicited attachments because of security concerns. Use the formal consumer form and its upload function, or ask the Consumer Protection Division about acceptable delivery methods.
Q. Where should I report a text claiming I owe a court fine?
Treat unsolicited threats and demands for immediate payment as possible scams. Do not use links or telephone numbers in the message. Verify independently with the court or law-enforcement office and report the suspected scheme to the Consumer Protection Division.