In an effort to enforce consumer protection laws, one of the FTC's primary responsibilities involves attending to consumers complaints. By doing this, the FTC and its subsidiary state and local consumer protection offices can protect consumers from businesses that may commit fraud, deception, or other wrongful business practices. For this to occur, a consumer must first initiate the process by filing their complaint. If a complaint is never filed, neither the current issue at hand, nor any forthcoming violations by the same company will be handled. To file complaint, consumers can choose between calling the FTC hotline or reporting on their website, and should also do the same with their local office. Generally, the FTC only handles large scale problems such as those involving numerous violations from the same company, whereas a local or state consumer protection office can handle individual complaints. After a complaint is filed, investigation will occur to resolve the case, possibly ending in mediation, arbitration, or further action being taken by the consumer, such as a small claims lawsuit.