Filing a complaint is nice, but you’re basically at the mercy of the AG to care enough to do something.
That's basically what a lawsuit is--you sue someone and if they don't respond, you generally win by default, but if they do, you have the burden of proving your facts.
Another aspect of that is that if you opted out of arbitration is that small claims is a huge hassle for large companies. They will usually deal with you rather than fly some lawyer in.
If you didn't, well, arbitrators are paid by your opponent, and their decision score cards reflect that.
Mileage varies by state. The New York AG tends to make not responding very costly, sometimes debilitatingly so, for companies. A letter copying e.g. the Alabama AG is likely to be ignored.
A quick google indicates both an online form and a phone number specifically for contacting Alabama AG Office Consumer Specialists: https://www.alabamaag.gov/consumercomplaint
No, but it was a specific example cited by a prior corporate counsel. (We had an irate customer from New Jersey copy their AG. We were informed that Trenton is no Montgomery, the message being that if we didn’t promptly and properly respond their AG’s office would get involved.)
I live in Wyoming, by the way—our AG is likely also easy to contact but hard to get to follow up from. One of the trade-offs of living in a small-budget state.
Not in my experience in NY. Some decades ago in NY, I had a problem cancelling a gym membership within legally specified rights. Got nowhere. Sent a letter to the AG, and suddenly like magic, the clouds parted and the matter was resolved in my favor. MA AG is also very responsive.
The real scumbags often will not pay attention, but any biz that has the slightest interest in being around for the long term will definitely take notice when the AG starts to get involved. It is a hornet's nest you do not want kicked anywhere near you.
Systems exist and while they're not perfect you should at least try to use them before giving up and talking about how ineffective everything is.