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Better Business
Bureau - Find information on over 2 million organizations, File a
complaint, Locate a local bureau, Consumer tips, etc.
CallerComplaints.com - This website allows users to submit and view
phone numbers of telemarketers. It notes that "[u]nlike government reporting
websites, these reports are publicly published for the world to see."
Search, or browse by area codes, most searched numbers, and recently filed
complaints. The submission form has a place to submit the caller name (if
known), caller type (such as debt collector), and complaint details.
Consumer Assistance
- From Virginia's Attorney General.
Consumer Research & Advocacy - Tons of consumer related links on
subjects from automobiles to telemarketing. From Librarian's Index to the
Internet.
ConsumerSearch.com - Find product reviews, includes links.
Digital TV 101 - "This is a short course designed to teach you more
about the exciting but sometimes byzantine world of digital TV and HDTV. [It
will] teach you some of the tips and tricks you'll need to know before America
goes to digital TV on midnight of February 17, 2009." Topics include televisions
types, screen resolution, converter boxes, and more. Also provides a FAQ,
shopping guide, and consumer tips. From the South Carolina Educational
Television Commission.
Federal
Citizen Information Center (FCIC) - Find Federal consumer publications
on everything from cars to travel and more...
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - This website is a one-stop national
resource to learn about the crime of identity theft. It provides detailed
information to help you protect yourself from identity theft.
Find it! Consumer - This site contains two searchable sources of
consumer information: USConsumerInfo (covers sites created by the Federal
government and national non-profit groups) and WAConsumer (covers sites
maintained by Washington state government agencies and local non-profit
groups). Between them, they have information from 100 consumer protection
and public safety Web sites. Users can search by keywords or browse selected
topics of interest and top searches of the week. From the collaborative
effort of Washington state organization sponsors and the Washington State
Library.
GasBuddy.com can help you find cheap gas prices in your city. It is
comprised of 170 gas price information web sites that help consumers find
low gasoline prices." Search for prices by ZIP code.
Lookstoogoodtobetrue.com - This website contains background information
and alerts about Internet scams and fraud, covering topics such as identity
theft, hacking, phishing, spam, spyware, job scams, Ponzi and pyramid
schemes, online auctions, sweepstakes and lotteries, and counterfeit
payments. Includes a FAQ, victims' stories, a fraud risk test, and links to
places to file a complaint about online fraud. A joint project of federal
law enforcement agencies and industry partners.
National Do Not Call Registry - Use this site to register your personal
home and cell phone numbers to potentially avoid most telemarketers.
Depending on the outcome of a court case, these telemarkets will no longer
be able to call you if your phone number is on this list. Also verify your
registration, change it, or file a complaint about failure to honor this
registry. Some material available in Spanish. From the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC).
Product Safety - From FirstGov for Consumers. Check safety of
products including: Automobiles, Children, Cosmetics, Household, Health,
Poison Safety, and Product Recalls.
Recalls.gov
- "Your online resource for recalls."
Tips on Toys - Ideas for choosing safe toys for children, organized by
age group. Provides lists of safe and dangerous types of toys. Mentions
concerns such as sharp edges, small parts that could be swallowed,
electrical toys, shooting toys, and items with lead. From the Virginia
Cooperative Extension.
Unclaimed Property Database - From the Commonwealth of Virginia
Department of Treasury.
Vital Records - Birth, Death, Marriage, Foreign Authentication. From the
Virginia Department of Health.
Your Access to Free Credit Reports - Under an amendment to the Fair
Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumers will be able to request a free copy
of their credit report once every 12 months. This site from the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) details when reports will be available to
residents of each state and how to order them. Other frequently asked
questions regarding credit reports are also addressed. |
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