Consumer Information
The consumer information links noted below exist to assist consumers locate information that may be useful to them and provide guidance in how to file complaints when appropriate.
Consumer Fraud (DOJ/Homepage)
"Consumer Fraud" is a link on the Department of Justice's (DOJ) homepage under "Information for Individuals and Communities." A series of subjects, such as Internet Fraud, Telemarketing Fraud, Mortgage Scams, Identity Theft and Fraud, and Fraud Victim Publications/Web Sites are available through this site.
Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC)
The IFCC's mission is to combat fraud committed over the Internet. Through its unique partnership, the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) strive to: develop a national strategy to address fraud over the Internet; collect, manage, and disseminate fraud complaint information to aid preventive and investigative efforts; provide law enforcement and regulatory agencies with analytical data to identify and address new fraud trends and help stem the rise of Internet fraud; provide a mechanism for reporting fraud on the Internet; ensure that Internet fraud complaints are directed to the appropriate law enforcement and regulatory agencies. The IFCC Web site allows consumers nationwide to report Internet fraud; enables the development of educational programs aimed at preventing Internet fraud; offers local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies training in Internet fraud; and allows for the sharing of fraud data by all law enforcement and regulatory authorities.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Response Center
You can file a complaint with the FTC against a company or organization that you believe has cheated you by contacting the Consumer Response Center by phone: toll free 877-FTC-HELP (382-4357); TDD: 202-326-2502; by mail: Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20580; or through the Internet, using the FTC's online complaint form. Complaint information is entered into the FTC's Consumer Sentinel system for use by law enforcement agencies, plus consumers can access the public portion of Consumer Sentinel for important consumer tips and fraud trends. Although the Commission cannot resolve individual problems for consumers, complaints to the FTC help it investigate fraud, and can lead to enforcement action by the FTC or another agency. Additionally, the FTC provides consumer information on a wide variety of matters covering topics such as automobiles, credit, identity theft, and investments.
FirstGov (Your First Click to the U.S. Government)
"FirstGov" is a US government website. It is a self-described "easy-to-search, free-access website designed to give [consumers] a centralized place to find information from local, state, and U.S. Government Agency websites." It searches by audience, topic and service, then identifies, via links, government agencies or materials that may be of help to you.
If consumers encounter difficulty using FirstGov they may wish to contact the National Contact Center, http://www.info.gov/ which specializes in direct telephone assistance to callers who are trying to locate information in any format on Federal agencies, programs and services. Consumers may call the toll-free number at 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636) between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. Users of text telephones, TTY/TDD, should call 1-800-326-2996.
For consumer publications, go to http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov where you can download or order publications on a wide variety of consumer topics and access the Consumer Action Handbook.
Consumer.gov (Your resource for consumer information from the federal government)
"Consumer.gov" is a US government site that describes itself as a "'one-stop' link to a broad range of federal information resources available online. It is designed so that you can locate information by category -- such as Food, Health, Product Safety, Your Money, and Transportation. A connection to, including an agency description, of a large number of AGENCIES is also available through this site.
Consumer Action Handbook (2003 Edition)
The Consumer Action Handbook (2003 Edition), published by the Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) under the auspices of the General Services Administration, is 160 pages of valuable information that no consumer should be without. It provides advice and consumer tips on: car repair, purchase, and leasing; shopping from home; avoiding consumer and investment fraud; home improvement and financing; choosing and using credit cards wisely; and much more. Also included is the Consumer Assistance Directory with thousands of names, addresses, telephone numbers, web site and e-mail addresses for national consumer organizations, better business bureaus, corporations, trade associations, state and local consumer protection offices, state agencies, military consumer offices, and Federal agencies. The FCIC also maintains the National Contact Center which provides access to useful consumer information plus links to federal and state agencies. For consumers with questions, the National Contact Center has a toll-free contact number, 1-800-FED-INFO (333-4636) , available between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time.