Consumer Affairs

The mission of the Division of Consumer Affairs is to protect consumers by making an effort to stop unfair, unconscionable and deceptive business practices and safeguard buyers of goods and services. Consumer Affairs not only investigates consumer complaints, seeking out violations of the Consumer Fraud Act (N.J.S.A. 56:8-1 et seq.), but also educates the public on how to be better consumers. Additionally, Consumer Affairs advises businesses how to comply with the Consumer Fraud Act to avoid consumer complaints and possible fines.

To file a consumer complaint, complete the Office of Inspections - Consumer Affairs Complaint Form, or call 732-398-2300 for a form to be sent to you. Photocopies of contracts, checks, receipts, documents, ads, pictures, and anything else the consumer feels would support their complaint should accompany the form. Once the completed complaint is received, it will be assigned to an investigator in the order in which it was received, who will make every attempt to resolve the matter.

If violations of the Consumer Fraud Act are found, the case may be taken into Municipal Court by County Counsel. If the business is found guilty of fraud, fines and costs can be levied against the business for those violations and returned to the county.

To search for a business who has had a complaint filed against them within the last 3 years, please contact the office at 732-398-2300 or email consumer@co.middlesex.nj.us.

Please be advised that our office only handles complaints pursuant to the Consumer Fraud Act. We do not handle:

• Employee/Employer disputes (Department of Labor)
• Discrimination claims (ACLU)
• Matters that are being or have been litigated/arbitrated (Contact the Court/Arbitrator)
• Complaints against individuals not engaged in business (Private Litigation)
• Complaints against government agencies, including the postal service (Office of the Inspector General)(Postal Inspector)
• Complaints regarding Landlord and Tenant issues (Landlord and Tenant Unit)
• Complaints regarding any kind of damages including punitive or negligence (Private Litigation)
• Complaints involving business against business (Private Litigation)
• Complaints related to poor workmanship (Private Litigation)

If your complaint involves any of the above-mentioned issues, do not continue with this form. Please contact the corresponding agency provided.

Weights & Measures

The Division of Weights and Measures is responsible for maintaining all regulatory standards, testing and inspection activity to set and enforce standards in the commercial trade within the county.  Anything that is sold to the consumer by weight, volume, length, time or count falls under the Weights and Measures standards. 

The County of Middlesex has approximately 2,900 businesses that have some type of device that needs to be inspected and certified each year. The inspectors test and inspect commercial scales, gas pumps, home heating oil truck meters and many other types of weighing or measuring devices to ensure that there is a fair and equitable marketplace for the residents of Middlesex County.  Fuel quality is also checked at gasoline stations. Weights and Measures inspectors also investigate a variety of consumer complaints. To file a complaint with Weights & Measures, complete the Office of Inspections - Weights & Measures Complaint Form.

Random inspections are done throughout the year to check for violations regarding weight and labelling of packaged commodities, commodity pricing inaccuracies and fuel quality testing at gasoline stations.  Weights and Measures’ first and main objective is Consumer Protection.  All Weights & Measures Inspectors have been trained and certified by the NJ State Office of Weights & Measures.

To contact the Middlesex County Division of Weights & Measures, please call the office at 732-398-2307 or send an email to weightsmeasures@co.middlesex.nj.us