THE CONSUMER DIVISION RECEIVED 9,303 NEW WRITTEN CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, AN INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 8,728 IN 1978. ACTION WAS COMPLETED ON 10,967 COMPLAINTS, ALSO AN INCREASE FROM THE 1978 RECORD OF 8,521. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS, THE DIVISION WAS ABLE TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS PENDING AT THE END OF THE YEAR. BEGINNING WITH 5,575 COMPLAINTS AT THE START OF 1979, THE DIVISION REDUCED THE COMPLAINT BACKLOG TO 3,911 AT THE END OF THE YEAR. A TOTAL OF 14,878 COMPLAINTS WERE HANDLED FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. THIS WAS ALSO A MAJOR YEAR FOR DIVISION LITIGATION, WITH 22 NEW LAWSUITS FILED AND 37 LAWSUITS CLOSED. ENDING THE YEAR WITH 36 LAWSUITS PENDING IN COURT, THE DIVISION ENGAGED IN A TOTAL OF 73 CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWSUITS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. MANY OF THE 10,967 COMPLAINTS WHICH THE DIVISION COMPLETED IN 1979 INVOLVED FINANCIAL SAVINGS TO THE COMPLAINANTS. THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONIES RECOVERED OR SAVED FOR IOWANS WAS $1,278,781.04. THE OFFICE WAS ABLE TO ASSIST 64.5 PERCENT OF COMPLAINANTS IN CASES COMPLETED DURING THE YEAR. DETAILED INFORMATION IS PRESENTED ON CONSUMER RIGHTS, MAJOR COMPLAINT CATEGORIES, AUTOMOBILE COMPLAINTS, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY SCHEMES, THE CONSUMER CREDIT CODE, ENERGY-SAVING DEVICES, INSULATION PROBLEMS, LITIGATION, LAND SALES, TRADE AND CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS, AND A VOLUNTEER PROJECT TO INCREASE THE DIVISION'S EFFICIENCY. TABLES AND STATISTICAL DATA ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)