• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • 1
    CommentGo Back
Download
 
GSA Federal Citizen Inormation Center
www.ConsumerAction.gov
2009
 
Consumer ACtion hAndbook
be a smarter consumer
 
Consumer Product Safety CommissionDepartment of AgricultureThe Cooperative State Research,Education, and Extension ServiceDepartment of DefenseDepartment of Veterans AffairsFederal Deposit Insurance CorporationFederal Trade CommissionGeneral Services AdministrationSecurities and Exchange CommissionAmerican Association of Homesand Services for the AgingAARPAmerican Financial Services AssociationEducation FoundationAmerican Express CompanyBridgestone/Firestone LLCCampbell Soup CompanyCARFAXThe Colgate-Palmolive CompanyConsumer Electronics AssociationThe Dannon Co., Inc.Dell Inc.Direct Marketing AssociationFinancial Industry Regulatory AuthorityFrito-LayJohnson & Johnson Consumer Products, Inc.Kellogg CompanyLevi Strauss & CompanyMasterCard WorldwideMetLifeMichelin North America, Inc.MicrosoftNational Association of ConsumerAgency AdministratorsNational Futures AssociationNike, Inc.The Procter & Gamble Co.SOCAP International
(Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals)
Sprint NextelSubaru of America, Inc.Verizon Communications, Inc.Visa USA, Inc.Wells Fargo & Company
Contributors
 The Federal Citizen Information Center would like to express its gratitude to the partners listedbelow who helped make possible the publication of the 2009 Consumer Action Handbook.
 
As a savvy consumer, you should always be on the alert or shady deals and scams. To avoid becominga victim, keep these things in mind:1. A deal that sounds too good to be true usually is! Be wary o promises to ix your credit problems(p. 13), low-interest credit card oers (p. 12), deals that let you skip credit card payments (p. 12),work-at-home job opportunities (p. 16), risk-ree investments (p. 35), and ree travel (p. 43).2. Don’t share personal inormation with someone you don’t trust. Learn how to recognize raud byollowing the advice on page 2.3. Beware o payday and tax reund loans. Interest rates on these loans are usually excessive. Evena cash advance on a credit card may be a better option. For more inormation, see page 14.4. Real estate agents represent the seller, not the buyer. When buying, consider hiring an agent orlawyer to represent you (p. 21).5. Home improvement (p. 24) and auto repairs (p. 9) are the subjects o requent complaints. Gettinga second opinion can help prevent costly mistakes and enable you to make better decisions.6. Think twice beore you rent-to-own. Interest rates on rent-to-own purchases can be very high. Iyou miss a payment, you could end up with nothing. Consider buying second-hand at a thrit shopor through ads in your local newspaper.7. Be cautious o Buy Here, Pay Here lots. I you decide to buy a car rom a used car lot, be sure to readall o the papers beore you sign. Don’t sign contracts that allow the dealership to change the inancerate AFTER you leave the lot.8. Don’t buy under stress. Avoid making big-ticket purchases during times o duress (e.g., coping witha death or debt).
Q
uick
c
onsumer
T
ips
i
Part I —Be a Savvy ConSumer
Read this section or advice beore you make apurchase. To quickly locate speciic topics andinormation, look in the Table o Contents(p. ii) and the Index (p. 169).
Part II —FIlIng a ComPlaInt
Turn to this section or suggestions onresolving consumer problems. The samplecomplaint letter on page 55 will help youpresent your case.
Part III —Key ConSumerInFormatIon reSourCeS
Look here or a list o public resources andcontact inormation.
Part Iv —ConSumer aSSIStanCeDIreCtory
Here you’ll ind contact inormation orcorporate oices, consumer organizations,trade groups, government agencies and more.
Tips For Using This handbook
A searchable version o this Handbook is available online at
www.ConsumerAction.gov
and in Spanish at
www.Consumidor.gov
.
vISIt uS onlIne
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
deleted_fbuser_1300377665

Everyone should have a copy of this for a daily reference to go by.

reply10 / 22 / 2009
USAgov

Glad to hear you've found the Consumer Action Handbook so helpful! We love it too!

10 / 22 / 2009
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...