WASHINGTON, D.C. — Auto and credit/debt came in as Nos. 1 and 2 in top 2010 consumer complaints, according to a new survey out this week. And interestingly, Internet sales came in at No. 6, with one of the key examples being a company that advertised online, purporting to be "eBay Motors," and, of course, was not.

Complaints to state and local consumer agencies actually dropped a bit in 2010, according to the report from the Consumer Federation of America, the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators, who worked together to compile the results.

Thirty-one state and local consumer protection agencies participated in the survey from 18 states.

According to a press release issued by the organizations, "No single type of complaint stood out as the fastest-growing or worst in 2010. The complaints that state and local consumer agencies received last year ran the gamut from auto sales to sweepstakes scams. Many of the complaint examples that agencies provided, however, were related to the difficult financial situations that consumers and businesses faced."

The report outlined a few examples of consumer complaints in the automotive category.

For instance, the report shared, "When a Virginia woman had her car towed to a repair shop because it was vibrating violently, she was informed that it was probably the transmission. She agreed to pay $3,000 for the work, and two weeks later the car was ready. But when she drove it from the shop, it shook worse than before. She brought it back, and after keeping the car for a month, the shop said that it could not find the problem and suggested that one way to stop the vibration would be to remove some of the bolts that attach the engine to the frame.

"But another shop that the woman consulted, advised her that removing the bolts could allow the engine to fall off. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services tried but failed to convince the first shop to take the car back for further repairs or return the woman's money. Now she is looking into other options, such as small claims court — and a new mechanic," the report indicated.

In another story dubbed "The Used Car Blues," the organizations outlined the issues a woman faced when purchasing a used vehicle.

"A Massachusetts woman placed a $1,000 deposit on a used car, but when she returned to complete the purchase, the dealer talked her into buying a different car on the condition that a problem with the brakes would be repaired. But when she took the car through the required safety inspection, it failed because of the brakes and an exhaust problem. Apparently, the mechanic at the dealership had removed a fuse so that the brake warning light would not come on rather than actually repairing the brakes. After the Consumer Assistance Office – Metro West got involved, the car was repaired correctly," the groups reported.

In the automotive category, other issues that came up included misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, lemons, faulty repairs, as well as leasing and towing disputes.

Moving on, the organizations also shared some top examples of credit/debt issues consumers complained about. Auto loan issues were not among the complaints provided.

However, consumers should be weary of consumer debt settlement agencies, the report cautioned.

"Freedom Financial Management advertised that it could settle consumers' debts for pennies on the dollar for a fee. But according to the Georgia Governor's Office of Consumer Protection, the company charged far more than the 7.5 percent fee cap  set by state law and failed to file proof that it had the required insurance and trust accounts to safeguard consumers' funds while they awaited settlement agreements. Under a settlement with the consumer agency, the company refunded a total of $273,523 to 308 individuals," the report outlined.

And in another fascinating example, the organizations revealed a complaint involving online car sales.

"The Orange County Consumer Fraud Unit in Florida received several complaints last year from consumers who wired deposits of between $1,500 and $2,500 for cars that a company calling itself ‘eBay Motors' advertised on Craigslist," according to the instance shared.

"The company, which had nothing to do with the auction site eBay and is not subject to eBay's Buyer Protection policies, used an address in Orange County. It was not actually located there, however. The cars were never shipped and neither the consumers nor the consumer agency have been able to reach the company. The matter has now been referred to the FBI," the groups said.

Discussing the report, Susan Grant, of the Consumer Federation of America, revealed, "Much of what state and local consumer protection agencies do, from preventing rip-offs to mediating individual complaints, goes unheralded. Our survey shines a spotlight on consumers' everyday problems and the vital role that state and local consumer protection agencies play in helping them and making the market safer for all."

The survey also asked what new laws might be needed. And quite of few of the suggestions that came back involved credit and debt laws, from stronger laws to end abusive debt collection practices to imposing stiffer monetary penalties if landlords knowingly rent property that is or is about to be in foreclosure.

Interestingly however, when sharing some new complaints found this year, one of the examples was companies who offered to buy consumers' cars. Unfortunately, no other details were revealed. However, with used-car prices being so high, this could be a tempting scam for unscrupulous individuals.

The agents surveyed received more than 252,000 complaints last year and collectively worked to get more than $208 million in restitution and savings for consumers.

Furthermore, at least half of the agencies that responded said their biggest challenge in 2010 was budgetary and doing more with less.