THE RESEARCH WAS COMPOSED OF TWO SEPARATE STUDIES. AN IN-OFFICE STUDY EXAMINED THE COMPLAINTS FILED IN TWO LOCAL CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFICERS BY OLDER CONSUMERS AND A SAMPLE OF YOUNGER CONSUMERS DURING A 6-MONTH PERIOD. A COMMUNITY SURVEY INVOLVED TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH OLDER RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITIES SERVED BY THE TWO CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFICES IN THE FIRST STUDY. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT COMPLAINTS FILED BY OLDER CONSUMERS IN LOCAL CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFICES DID NOT DIFFER SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THOSE FILED BY YOUNGER CONSUMERS. THE PROPORTION OF COMPLAINTS FILED BY OLDER CONSUMERS, HOWEVER, WAS LOWER THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED FROM THE REPRESENTATION IN THE POPULATION. OVERALL, THE RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT OLDER VICTIMS OF CONSUMER FRAUD TEND TO UNDERREPORT THEIR EXPERIENCES OF VICTIMIZATION. A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS WHO SOUGHT RELIEF FOR A CONSUMER ABUSE, EITHER BY REPORTING THE INCIDENT TO A PUBLIC AGENCY OR BY TAKING PRIVATE REMEDIAL ACTION, OBTAINED REMEDIES THAN DID RESPONDENTS WHO MADE NO ATTEMPT TO RECTIFY THEIR ABUSES. A SURPRISING PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS WHO SOUGHT RELIEF, HOWEVER, FELT THEIR CONSUMER ABUSES WERE NOT RECTIFIED. IF OLDER CONSUMERS WERE BETTER ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE SERIOUSNESS OF ABUSES INFLICTED ON THEM AND KNOW THAT CONSUMER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE IN REMEDYING THEIR LOSS, REPORTING OF CONSUMER PROBLEMS WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY RISE. TABULAR DATA, NOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)